running shoes

Speed Workout + Reader Question

| cheriarmour

A few awesome things today.

So remember that incredible dish I had at Pop’s on Sunday?  The fusilli pasta with the mozzarella?

I slimmed it down, cut some of the oils, and made my own version, and it turned out awesome?  The only downside?  I made enough pasts for like 24 people, and now I’m trying to pawn large amounts of pasta off on anyone who will eat food fit for human consumption.

Here’s the side-by-side – Sunday’s meal is on type.  Mine is on the bottom.

photo 4Mine looks a little “drier” because I skimped on some of those oils that can pack on calories.  But it definitely was tasting good!  Now who wants pasta?

Moving right along!

The weather was beautiful in North Carolina today, literally like 75 degrees.  So I dragged my boss down to the track for a speed workout.

photo 2It was nice to run on the track on a pretty day, and I’ve been working out on such hard surfaces recently, I forgot how nice it is to run on a soft, springy surface.  My body is totally thanking me today.

Today’s interval was a 1 mi. by 6, with a 400m recovery.  It was cool, and I ended up being able to squeeze like 8 miles out of the deal without even realizing!  That’s one of the beautiful aspects of speed workouts!

photo 3Okay, I usually never do this, but this is actually pretty funny.

Mile 1: 7:46 – hysterical, because I told my boss that the first mile would be a nice and easy one, just for us.  I started to feel so crappy during the mile, and I couldn’t figure out why.  Yeah, that would be why, I was running at ungodly (for me) speeds.

Mile 2: 7:59

Mile 3: 8:12

Mile 4: 8:09

Mile 5: 8:14

Mile 6: 8:14

The best moment?  When a woman who was also working out on the track turned to me as she was leaving, gave me the thumbs up, and told me that I was awesome.  I, being hyper-emotional because I was working out, completely burst into tears right there on the track.  Whatevs man, working out is beautiful.

And now, it’s time for the reader question!

I got a text a few days ago, from a reader asking about tying running shoes!

I’m forever confused about the different ways to tie running shoes and have just recently learned the tighter you tie isn’t actually the better (I was wondering why my feet were going numb).

So Kim (reader in question) is certainly not the only one.  I was beyond shocked when I borrowed my boss’ shoes for a run, and his shoes were snatched down to beyond an inch of their lives, and I’ve seen the same in a lot of folks who come into Fleet Feet.  A lot of folks will come in and complain of their feet going numb especially.

So here’s the deal, and the way I would suggest that you tie your shoes in order to be comfortable.

photo 1Take a gander at the feets.

So your shoes do not need to be super tight, nor do they need to be flopping off of your feet (something I’ve certainly been guilty of).  But if you’re one of those people who love that tight feel, but concerned because your feet go numb every run, I have a fun trick for you.  Tie your shoes normally.  Don’t squeeze the heck out of your feet.

Then, do this.  We’re gonna backlace your shoe (and keep the shoe from sliding around on your ankle).

See that top eyelet on the shoe that you’ve always wondered about?  We’re going to use it today.  Poke the right lace through the right hole and the left lace through the left hole.  So we’re making bunny ears.  Now cut straight across the top of your foot and pierce the opposite ear.  Same thing, pierce the opposite ear.  Then pull both laces straight up, and this will lock the shoe on your ankle without killing the top of your food.  Here’s how it’s gonna go in YouTube form.

Do itttttt.  Now remember, chill on the laces.  Do not get fixated on tying  them so tight that you see life flash before your eyes.  It’s unnecessary, and the last thing you want to be thinking about is how bad your feet hurt 10 miles in.

Anyhoo, I miss you guys, come visit me in the comments.

Tell me something, what’d you eat for dinner last night?  Pictures are welcome!

Clark Howard, I’ll let you do your job, let me do mine.

| cheriarmour

During yesterday’s snow day debacle, where I literally spent the entire day inside, blogging, doing laundry, and cleaning.  I did not do any running, and for that, I feel extremely guilty.  [addendum to this post] I finally couldn’t take it anymore, and Austin and I put on our winter finest, and shuffle-ran to to local coffee joint, grabbed a cup, and shuffle-ran back.  My feet are very cold!

But anyhoo, when I was working on the blog and doing my usual scan of Facebook/Twtiter/Bloglovin, I came across this gem by Clark Howard.  Clark Howard, if you’re not familiar, is the resident financial guru on HLN, and he offers tips and tricks to “Save More, Spend Less, and Avoid Rip-Offs,” which I’m all game for.

imgres
Wikipedia.org – Clark Howard

Seriously, as I moved toward getting married and merging finances with another human, I’m working to get better with my finances, as Austin is seriously amazing with money, and I’ve learned a lot from him. So I try not to spend money on stupidity, but I was blown away when I came across this article, that was credited to things Clark Howard had said.

The main premise of the article? 

Cheapo sneakers are actually better for runners.

No, no, no-no, no no no no no.  Absolutely not.  The article credits a Scottish study that somehow concluded that less-expensive shoes are just as good as low cost one.

Full disclosure here.  I work for Fleet Feet, and I am biased, however, having run in both $25 shoes and $150 shoes, there is really no comparison.  You pay more, your feet feel better.

I consider myself something of specialist when it comes to running shoes (since it’s my job) and I’ve said it once, and I will absolutely say it again.  Go to a specialty shoe store, like a Fleet Feet or a Pacers, get a fitting, and pay the full price for your running shoes.  If you’re running, there’s no reason you should be pounding around on shoes you found in a Payless.

And now, I present to you a list of stuff you don’t need to be skimping on!

  1. Your bras.  Sports bras or not, you don’t want to be turning into a floppy mess by the time you’re 25.  Spend the money on something good and supportive, and you won’t regret it.
  2. Your jeans.  I’ve purchased jeans from Target, and they smell like mothballs.  I’ve purchased designer jeans from a consignment store.  Designer digs > Target jeans.
  3. Your vacuum.  If you buy it cheap and your ish is gonna break in 6 months anyways, spend the extra bucks and enjoy your vacuum for years to come.  I have an Oreck XL that’s like a million years old.  I don’t remember how much it cost when it was first purchased, but it’s still going strong.
  4. Your food.  Now let me clear, you can certainly afford healthy foods on the cheap.  Heads of lettuce, fruits, and juices can be purchased for cheap.  But don’t run out to some bargain place and sweep the bottom shelves for Ramen.  You’re doing your body no favors.
  5. Obviously, your running shoes.  Unless you like bunions and bone spurs.  But that’s completely up to you.

So what are you willing to spend your hard-earned money on?  

My year of running. #runchat #run

| cheriarmour

I cannot believe that we’re approaching the end of the year. I don’t know where the year went, but I feel so hashtag blessed that I’m still here.  It has been an absolutely beautiful year.  I’ve experienced a ton – good and bad, but I’m excited to see what 2014 in store for me and my family.

yearofrunning 225x300 How was your year of running?

I stole this fun idea to sum up my year of running from Miss Zippy, and I encourage you guys to go ahead and steal it from me now!  I’m nosy as hell, so I’d really like to know about your year – and I’ll post this to my Facebook status so some of you guys can play, and I’ll pull some of your comments into my blog.

What was your:

  • Best race experience?  Hands down, my best race experience this year was the Nike Women’s Half Marathon, which I blogged about back in April.  The race itself was awesome.  The weather was beautiful, the terrain was flat, and it was just incredibly well-organized, and I feel super lucky, because for the second year in a row, I won my lottery entrance into the race.  Eep!  Additionally, I am so enamored of Washington, D.C., and spending the weekend there with good friends made the weekend super duper enjoyable.  Now I hope this year my ENTIRE name makes it onto the wall of race participant names they plaster the street with in Georgetown.  ‘Member this?

Billboard

  • Best run? I need to choose a few.  One of my best runs was in Asheville, the weekend of Alexa’s bacherlorette party up in Asheville….

cabin 4

And this view of the river we stayed along…
Cabin 3
And I’d have to say my second favorite best run was a run I did with my brother the day after Thanksgiving a few weeks ago.   It was just fun to work out with a member of my family who kicked my butt.  It’s also so nice to talk to that kid, who’s really impressed me with how he’s matured in the past year.  Kid gets up at 3:45 to go to swim practice, and still manages to make it to school each day.  Like – bye.  Amazing.

  • Best new piece of gear?  Geez, that’s hard.  I have a lot of good stuff.  But I think my favorite piece that I’ve acquired this year would either be my Glycerin 11s, cause that shoe update was so  sweet, or this purple Moving Comfort full-zip that work gave us at the company holiday party.  I have a problem staying warm, so the fact this jacket can stand up to some of the ungodly temps we’ve had lately around here in the mornings says a lot to me.

Moving Comfort

  • Best piece of running advice you received?  Put one foot in front of the other.  A co-worker told me this as I was training for Shamrock in March, and that’s really all you can do, in racing, and in life.  When a race becomes challenging or miserable, you have to tell yourself to place one foot in front of the other.  There’s simply not another option.
  • Most inspirational runner?  I cannot pick just one, because working with runners, I am so inspired by my coworkers.  Jenny, who I ran Shamrock with, was a mother, a wife, and still found time to run that full with me.  Kerri teachers a full yoga course load, works, and trained hard and well enough to qualify for Boston.  Kerry runs a big race a month.  Fast.  Shelly is pregnant and still running.  I could go on and on and on, but you get it.  My coworkers rock, and when I don’t feel like working at my running, I think of them, and I usually can muster up enough to get moving.
  • If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? Be present.  Don’t let worry or anxiety steal your happiness.

Now it’s your turn – fill me in in the comments, on your blog, on my Facebook, or Tweet me little tidbits!

New shoes are important! #runchat

| cheriarmour

Runner’s world published this staggering number last week that runners who rotate shoes (and I am the queen of the rotation because of my job),. reduce their chance of injury by 39% That’s incredible!

For someone who doesn’t work in running retail, there may be a few factors keeping you from buying new shoes, or buying more to rotate (the best way to get some bang for your buck).

  • “My shoes aren’t even worn out!” I hear this all the time.  And then you ask the customer when they last replaced the shoe.  They’ll swear it was three months ago.  But when you look back in the records, it’s over a year ago.  The official number is this.  Shoes get about 350 miles on them.  Minimalist shoes get even less, about 250.  Shoes naturally start to break down after about a year, so even if the shoe was just sitting in your closet, the shoe has lost some juice.
  • “I only wear my shoes to go to the store”.  This logic blows my mind.  If you wear your shoes every day for a year and a half to do your errands, your shopping, your trips to the post office, and your trips to the Y, what do you think is happening to them?  You don’t have to be running marathons to wear your shoes out.
  • “Shoes cost too much.”  A good shoe is gonna start at about $110.  And depending on the amount of cushioning, they can climb to $175.  Yes, it’s an investment, but you’re protecting your body from the earth.  Why would you want to pay $60?
  • “I don’t have time to get shoes.”  Take the time to get fitted one good pair.  If you like it, stick with that shoe for a while, at least until the update.  That should give you 9 months to a year of not having to try on shoes and wait on a fitting.

unnamed

 

And even though I’m the person who knows this stuff, it occurred to me at some point a few weeks ago that Austin’s shoes might have been worn out.  He’d been complaining that his IT band was hurting when we ran, so I told him to jump on my foam roller.  And thenI looked down at his feet and realized he was wearing the same Brooks Glycerins I’d gotten him at some point last summer.  We’d been either running or in the gym an average of 5-6 days a week since then, and if that wasn’t enough evidence, the, *ahem* fragrance from the shoes should have given it away.  The shoes had aged out right under my nose (hee hee).

So for about three weekends I badgered him to come down to the store.  He was too busy.  He was eating a sandwich.  He was asleep on the couch.  He couldn’t make it because someone on his fantasy football team was benched.  All sorts of excuses to not take off his shoes.  Finally, finally, on a rainy day last weekend, I cornered him in my kitchen.

“Let’s go right now.  What are you doing right now.”

He agreed, only after he ate a sandwich.  And off to the store we went.  After trying a few things on (the Glycerin had updated and felt a little funny to him), he settled on the Saucony Ride 6, and on a test run later, he reported zero IT band pain.  Win.

 

 

 

Ya missed me? This post is so jam-packed with goodies, I can’t even stand it!

| cheriarmour

I took a few days off from writing, and it drove me peanuts.   But I logged the events of Thanksgiving break in my head so I could keep everyone filled in on the events, which were events a-plenty.

Wednesday, before the holiday, I skipped the run (I know, shame on me,) because I went in for an endoscopy after work to figure out what was going on with my stomach, which you’ll remember has been acting really nuts since my bout with a stomach bug in September.  It was an upper endoscopy, so as far as prep, it just required that I fasted for a bunch of hours.  Rude.

I went in, stripped down to a sexy gown, and they started me on an IV.  The whole process was fairly non-dramatic.  I was wheeled into a room, laid on my side, given oxygen and the process began.  First the Lidocaine to numb my veins, and then the Propofol, and next thing I knew, I was out.  I woke up a really short time later – apparently, while I was under and they tried to shove the camera down my esophagus, I started flailing, pulled my IV out, and they had to pull me out of my sleep to reset the IV.  It was no big deal, and next thing I knew, I was out, and Austin was ready to take me home.  But not before in a haze, I told the nurse that “I looooove him,” and “did you know we were getting married?”

The final verdict? Gastritis.  The lining of my stomach was inflamed and has kicked acid up into my esophagus, which was burnt up too.  The morning of Greensboro, nerves and something I ate the day before probably aggravated my already-raw stomach, causing me to throw up.  Which burnt my esophagus even more.  Yumz. They did a biospy and I should know what’s causing it and what I need to do in the next 10 days or so.  I’ll keep you posted.

Hospital

Thanksgiving Day.  It was awesome.  I woke up, went for a slow and steady 4 miler (I’m streaking til New Years Day), cleaned up my house, and headed down to my parents’ for the holiday.  I cooked, and it was so lovely to spend the time with my family.  That evening, I was able to trick my brother into watching Pitch Perfect with me.  Score.

BroFriday morning, me and little Derek suited up for a run – and I will be gosh darned – the kid can run!  He’s a cross country star, and 18, so truthfully, the run consisted of me chasing him around Waxhaw, NC, which he regarded more as a casual jog.  My hamstrings were mad at me afterward, and I will definitely have to utilize him more for those speed workouts.

DressWe went wedding dress shopping.  That is all I can say, and this is all I will show you because I’m keeping dress negotiations top secret.  But my mom and I had a blast shopping for dresses.  She did try to negotiate a tiara and a set of silky gloves out of me, but I’m not budging, much to her chagrin.

CarAnd in the single greatest moment of the holiday, possibly of the year, my brother offered to drive us to Harris Teeter to buy my dad seltzer, and we needed to, since I drink up all his seltzer every time I go home.  Anyhoo, my brother drives a Benz.

Fancy?

Well, it’s an ’87, and when he started it, he had to pump the gas like a madman before we could get moving.  Then, when we arrived to the Teet, we had to leave it running while we ran inside.  Hood.

Brosky

And finally, I finished out the weekend by enjoying a dinner where I spent my 16th birthday, Kristopher’s in Matthews, NC, with Austin, the husband-to-be, and Derek, my brother.  It was so fun, so delicious, and an excellent way to wrap up the weekend.

Thanksgiving was awesome.  It was a lovely visit, and I finished out the weekend by running, running a little more, and working at the running store, which always puts a smile on my face.

How was your Thanksgiving Holiday?

Greensboro Marathon – DONE

| cheriarmour

I have never been so glad to be done with a race in my entire life.

Following the conclusion of the race, I kept running, and ran directly into the medical tent, where I calmly informed the EMT that I needed fluids.

Here’s how it went down. 

Saturday morning, I woke up around 5 with a stomachache.  SHOOT!  So I ran down to the car, grabbed some Tums and a Prilosec, and waited for them to kick in.  They kinda seemed to, and by the time we’d made our way to a very chilly start line, I decided that I felt okay.  And off we went.

It was cold, but not unbearably so.  I’d dressed perfectly. A thin, long-sleeved Brooks top, a Brooks Nightlife Vest, stuffed to the gills with goodies, gloves, and 3/4ths tights.  On the feet were the Glycerin 11 (an excellent choice of a shoe), and some Smartwool socks.  When it felt like my hands were going to fall off, I palmed my boobs under the vest, and as silly as it seems, the warmth made the ride really comfortable.

I stuck to the plan.  About 6.5 miles in, I started with my first bit of nutrition, and the nagging tummy ache that had been bothering me started to flare up.  I tried everything to push it away.  I breathed the cool, fresh fall air.  I house shopped.  I focused on music.  But it wouldn’t leave.  By the time another 6 had passed, and it was time for more nutrition, I couldn’t do it.  I nibbled at another piece of Clif Shot Bloks, and the stomachache started up, worse than before.

15 Miles.

The stomachache was too real.  Katy Perry came on with ‘Roar’.  And I dissolved into tears.  I’m not sure if I’ve ever shared this, but I get hyper-emotional during races.  It’s an introspective period of time, and the thought of the message of the song, the stomach pain, and the fact that I was over halfway in the race got to me.  Get it together, Cheri.  Someone is going to see you crying and think something is really wrong. 

18.1 Miles.

I literally pulled over in a field, and the stomachache was just too much.  I barfed in a field.  Everything I’d eaten, all the water, and all the nutrition was gone.  A cop looked on, sorrowfully.  But I couldn’t give it up, I was only like 8 miles from the finish!

So I knew that I’d lost all my nutrition and all my water.  And the thought of eating was producing more vomit.  So I kept up with my water, and trudged through the last bit of the marathon.

I did it. 

It was abysmally slow.  I was a little sunburned.  But I did it, run-walking that last 8 miles or so.  Once I finished, I med-tented, explained to them what had happened, and let them check my levels.  I was fine, understandably a little dehydrated, and not feeling like eating ever again.

I finished.  I’m a two-time marathoner!! And upon an appointment with a gastro, I am totally ready for the next running adventure.

Marathon Couple

Don’t do this annoying thing. Please?

| cheriarmour

I cannot stress enough the importance of going to a running specialty store and getting a proper shoe fitting.  You may think you’re getting some kind of steal online or at Dick’s, but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, or if you’re buying a model that’s three cycles old and already breaking down, you’ve kind of screwed yourself.  If you’re getting a pair of sneaks for like $54, you might be making a mistake.  Not you might, let me stop with this passive language.  Something isn’t right.

Okay so anyways, I love working in running retail.  It’s exciting.  The technology is always changing.  It’s interesting.  And working around all those runners is truly inspiring.  They’re cool peoples.

But contrary to what a lot of people thought, we don’t make commission selling running shoes.  And we like it like that.  It keeps our motivations clean and honest.  But there was one thing that was so annoying, I could rip my own hair out. 

Let me make this clear.  We never minded if you went through the process to get a fitting and decided you weren’t ready to buy anything.  That’s fine, and that’s what the whole process of “shopping” is about.  Go home, think about it, maybe read up on it, and decide if that’s what you want to do.

But when folks would come in, get fitted, and tell us, usually at the end of the process, that they were going to go see if they could find the shoe online cheaper, and snap a iPhone pic of the box, complete with the name of the shoe and style number? My blood would boil.

Why this is Problematic

  • I understand everyone is looking for a deal.  I get it.   I have student loans, and I have to limit my fancy times to stay afloat.  But this isn’t Best Buy, and you’re not going to really find the exact same model any cheaper.  You might find an older model, and that’s not gonna be the same as the shoe you tried on.
  • You’re not paying taxes in some states (well not up until recently).  Sorta shady.
  • We just provided you a service, and you took the service elsewhere.  That kinda sucks.  Would you like it if I did that to you?
  • It’s just kinda not nice.

If you’re at the place where you feel like you need to do this, do a few things.  Be upfront with the person helping you, and understand, that there’s probably no way you will find the same model for cheaper.

Quick Example and I’ll let you go. 

The Brooks Glycerin 11 retails for $150.  In-store, and on Zappos.

Glycerin

What you will find online for cheaper?

Glycerin 10

The Brooks Glycerin 10, which is pretty different.  It was heavier, and it still had the plastic piece in the middle, which is called the midfoot shank.  If you were to try the 11 on in the store and purchase the 10, you’d be pissed.

Anyhoo, just be NICE and don’t do that annoying thing, okay?

Workout tip for the busy people

| cheriarmour

A little tip for working out on a tight schedule

The one beautiful thing about working retail was that the store didn’t even open until 10, so I could feasibly run 10 or so miles before work, hit ’emwith the shower, and so sometimes even get back in bed before I had to go in.

I hear it’s not that way in real life, so here’s a little tippy to keep those pounds from creeping on when you start an office job.

20130910-172025.jpg

Along with some snackies, pack your workout clothes so you can either a, sneak away at lunch and get a little workout on, or b, go straight to the gym or to the trails as soon as work gets out, rather than stopping by home and getting distracted and skipping the precious gym time. It’s simple. But it works!

Do as I say, not as I do.

| cheriarmour

You guys, it’s not that I think I’m above running law.  It’s just…idk, I sometimes think I’m smarter than everyone in the world. Do you ever get that sensation? No? Oh, me either…

Anyhoo.

So you know that whole rule of thumb, with running shoes right?

Buy your running shoes a half size to a full size larger than your dress shoe so that when your feet swell (and they will) you don’t get a sore toenail/lose a toenail.

Did I listen?  No.  Cause I’m smart and I know everything.  And then toward the end of last week, when my body started to get tired, the throbbing in my toe started.

piggies

I hobbled about, rubbing it when whenever I got the chance, but there’s no dodging it. Ya gotta follow the rules and buy the shoes in the right size. Your big toe will thank you. Those size 10s (yes, I’m 5’8″ and a size 10.5,) will have to hang out by their lonesome this week.