What I'm Wearing Now - Shoe Edition

I have a pretty decent shoe rotation. Between working at a running store, being a shoe geek and being a Saucony Zealot, I have accumulated lots of shoes. Here's what I'm wearing now:

Speed Shoes:
The Kinvaras get most of the speedy mileage.

• Saucony Kinvara 5, 88 miles - my favorite shoe of last year, and this is my last pair of this model. They're nearing the end of their life, which is sad. I use them for speedwork and races mostly. I ran Parkersburg in them, and I ran last weekend's 14-miler in them. I may go back to using them for long runs again. 
• Saucony Kinvara 6, 153 miles - the update fits more snugly, so I don't like them as much. I wear them for speedwork, and actually I've been wearing them more than the 5s for some reason. I ran Athens in them. (Given how I liked the 5s for a recent long run, I may try these for next weekend's 10-miler.)
• Newton Distance III, 65 miles - I really like these shoes, but they're a size 8 and just a touch small. As long as there's no downhills, they're fine. They're very comfortable and lightweight, and I'm tempted to get the updated version (or buy the IIIs online at a discount). Because my speed workouts are getting so long, I am hesitant to wear them too much (but I did wear them for 9 miles recently).

Trainers:
The Zealots get most of the easy mileage.

• Saucony Zealot, 2 pairs (218 on blue and 102 on pink) - I've had the blue ones since spring, so they have a decent amount of miles on them. I've transitioned this pair to shorter easy runs.  I picked up the pink Zealots to use for long runs. This helps me avoid wearing the same pair of shoes two days in a row. They're more cushioned than the Kinvara, but still have a 4mm drop, which works well for me, but I don't feel as snappy with them (what does that mean?!). 
• Newton Fate, 66 miles - I don't adore these shoes, but they're good for easy runs. Because I'm running so much, I've added the Fate in because it's comfortable and doesn't bother me. 

For the Kinvaras, I typically get 200-250 miles. I still have a pair of coral 5s that are technically in the rotation, but they're around 200 and feel pretty dead. They're good gym shoes. My guess for the Zealots is that I'll get around 300-400 (likely on the lower end of that range). 

But I'm hard on shoes, your mileage may vary (haha). For my Brooks PureFlows, I got around 200 miles, and I know others who could get 500. It's all based on your running efficiency, size, terrain, etc. I'm not the smallest or most efficient runner, that's for sure. 

Shoes I'm interested in:
The Kinvara is the only definite. 

• Saucony Kinvara 7 - I'm looking forward to the update next spring. Even though I preferred the 5 over the 6, I still like the 6. They're changing up the foam (adding a special cushioning system that can only be described as similar to Adidas' Boost technology). Ideally the update would be a little more generous in the upper, particularly the midfoot.
• Newton Distance IV - I heard there is some dissatisfaction with the tongue on the update, but I am curious to see for myself. 
• Adidas Adios Boost - Speaking of Boost, I am interested in the Adios Boost, but the drop is 10mm and that concerns me. The shoe is so lightweight that it probably wouldn't matter.
• Brooks PureFlow 4 - I hated the third version, which is when I went to the Kinvara, but I am curious about the updated. I wouldn't mind a demo run. 
• Saucony Mirage 5 - Before the PureFlows, I ran in the Mirage, but (surprise, surprise) I didn't like the update (that's way back to version 2). I'm interested in the new version because I think a touch of stability might be good for me.
• New Balance 1400 v3 - Same goes for the New Balance 1400. The new ones look great, but the drop and lack of cushioning is a change for me that I'm not sure I want to deal with.
• Mizuno Sayonara 2 - I haven't heard great things about 3, but the 2 has its fans. I've heard that the toebox is more narrow in the 3, so the 2 would be the one for me. I've also heard that the 3 seems more like the Wave Rider, and I don't care for the Rider. Truthfully, the wave plate may not be for me, so it's unlikely that I will ever get these even though they're pretty cheap on Amazon.

Weekly Recap: Week 7 of Half-Marathon Training with Hansons

I ended the seventh week with 43+ miles, one failed workout and some fatigue. The usual.

Monday: 8 miles w/ three 1-mile repeats under 8:42 (8:22, 8:23, 8:18), Saucony Kinvara 6

Target: 8 miles with three 1-mile repeats at 8:21 to 8:42 pace, 800m recovery jog
With 90+ temps, I again took my speedwork to the treadmill. I think as long as my pace runs are outside, I'm good. My watch and my treadmill disagree on pace, with my watch saying I'm running faster than the treadmill. My treadmill is 15 years old, and it definitely feels like I'm working harder than the pace it shows! Regardless, I hit my paces, and it was hard. I walked a tiny bit after the second and third miles and then finished the recovery jogging along.

Tuesday: 6 miles, 10:55 pace, Brooks PureFlow 2s (and they are DEAD)

Target: 5 or 6, easy
Aaron and I met some friends for this HOT run. I took it easy and felt okay, although it was like 90 degrees.

Wednesday: 7 miles, three miles at 9:12, 9:34, 9:14 so FAIL, Saucony Kinvara 5

Target: 7 miles with four at 9:09

It was super-hot again, and I should have I altered this workout by shortening it (which I ultimately did), switching it to Thursday or going inside. I hydrated well beforehand, it was just HOT. I warmed up, ran the first two "pace" miles, took an unscheduled quarter-mile recovery jog and then planned to do two more pace miles. After one, I quit and just jogged it in. It just wasn't happening. Longer recap of this run is here.

Thursday: 5 miles, 10:22 pace, Newton Fate

Target: 5 or 6, easy (depends on what I do Tuesday)

I'm really starting to prefer having an easy recovery run after hard workouts (versus a rest day). I was pleasantly surprised (again) at how decent I felt even though I had that difficult run on Wednesday. I think I might keep my speed workouts to Monday and Wednesday.

Note: Thursday's run brought me to 170+ for the month of July -- that's amazing!

Friday: rest

Saturday: 12 miles, 10:39 pace, Saucony Zealots

Target: 12, long

I repeated last week's long run with 8 miles on the towpath and the last 4 on the hill. It went about the same, actually. I felt decent, ran completely up the hill and felt great coming back. I'm really hoping that incorporating the hill onto tired legs will help me gain strength. Hasn't killed me yet!

Sunday: 5.3 miles, 10:52 pace, Saucony Zealots

Target: 5, easy

Blues & Brews was Saturday, so we were a little dehydrated for this run. Plus we didn't start until after noon, and it was HOT. I wanted to do a new route since there's a new bike & hike open near us. The route was great, but not very shaded. I don't think I could have run faster if I'd tried!

Upcoming Week:

• Monday 8 miles, speed/5x1000s with 600m recovery
• Tuesday 6 miles, easy
• Wednesday 8 miles, speed/4 miles at HM pace
• Thursday 6 miles, easy
• Friday rest
• Saturday 10 miles, long
• Sunday 6 miles, easy

Weekly Recap: Week 4 of Half-Marathon Training with Hansons

Cumulative fatigue is real. I'm a month into the Hanson's plan, and I feel okay -- but by Friday, I am *so ready* for that rest day.

I ended up with a little over 36.5 miles for the week, and I mostly felt pretty good. I did have some issues with my calves being really tight, so I'm trying to pay extra attention to both calves (not just the cranky right one -- which feels weird today). I've been really good about doing my post-run routine, which includes an abbreviated version of the Myrtl routine and foam-rolling. I'm also thinking about scheduling a massage with a new therapist (the one I love has hours that don't work for me, plus I think she's going back to school and won't be practicing nearly as much).

Monday: 5 miles, 10:17 pace, Saucony Zealot, 80s & 70% humidity

Target: 5 miles, easy (10:10 to 11:52)
I contemplated swapping Monday's 5 for Wednesday's 4 so that I could run a little longer with the group on Wednesday and recover better from Sunday's trail run. If I'd ended up on the treadmill, I'm guessing it would have been 4, but luckily I was able to miss the rain. It was warm (car said 87 degrees, but I don't think it as that warm where I ran) and humid, but I had a nice, natural negative split.

Tuesday: 7.5 miles with 6 800meter repeats (8:34 to 8:41), 1:20, Saucony Kinvara 5

Target: 7.5 miles with speedwork 6x800s (8:21 to 8:42 pace) with 400 recovery
The treadmill, again. Ugh. I managed to do the repeats at pace, but then ended up walking a decent amount of the recoveries. Part of the issue is that, on the treadmill, I'm choosing my paces. It's trickier to just slow way down and then speed up naturally. (Excuses!) I talked with my coach (ha!) about it, and she really emphasized that I should be jogging the recoveries, while acknowledging that walking is better than stopping. Next week, I pledge to do better!

Wednesday: 4 miles with the hill, 10:20 pace, Saucony Zealots

Target: 4 miles, easy (10:10 to 11:52)

The Hansons plan does not include specific hill work because you are not supposed to be avoiding hills (read: I should be doing more runs in my neighborhood since it's hilly!). With that in mind and the fact that I only had 4 miles on the schedule, I decided to do Brecksville Reservation hill. I had a nice run, kept it relatively easy and reined in the pace on the last two miles, keeping them around 10. The only concern is how this hill run might affect Thursday's pace run...

Thursday: 6 miles, 3 at 9:08, 9:04, 8:48, Saucony Kinvara 6

Target: 6 miles with three at half-marathon pace (9:09)

I am amazed I pulled this out. Not as nice as last week's, but still: All under 9:09 with a negative split. I felt pretty tired, but I managed to push through and resisted stopping. My calves were really tight during the warmup and cooldown.

Friday: rest!

Target: rest

I love my rest days.

Saturday: 8 miles, 10:28 pace, Saucony Zealots

Target: 8 miles, easy (10:10 to 11:52)

Saturday's group run always spreads out, but I had company for my full 8 miles with a friend and her baby. I took it easy and was pretty consistent. I felt just fine.

Sunday: 6 miles, 10:36 pace, Saucony Kinvara 5

Target: 6 miles, easy (10:10 to 11:52)

Aaron and I ran in Kent on the Portage Hike & Bike trail for our final run of the week. I felt pretty good actually and was very happy with our pace.

This week, I'm switching some things up since we have plans Thursday night:

• Monday: 5x1000m repeats (8:21 to 8:42 pace) with 600m rest
• Tuesday: 5 miles, easy
• Wednesday: 7 miles with 4 at half-marathon pace (9:09)
• Thursday or Friday: 4 miles, easy / rest
• Saturday: 10 miles
• Sunday: 6 miles

Weekly Recap

This week ended not being too bad. Nothing speedy, of course, but I'm okay with it.

5 runs (1 trail), 1 walk, 1 strength, 1 total rest day = 31.75 miles

Monday: 5 miles, 9:33 pace, Saucony Zealot
I met a friend after work for a pretty consistent 5-miler. I was a little tired from the Buckeye Trail the day before, but my legs shook out.

Tuesday: total rest
We had a beer dinner at Bricco in Kent.

Wednesday: 6 miles, 10:35 pace, Saucony Zealot
This was a training group run where I paced someone on the hill (4 miles) and then got in a little extra running in someone. When I ended up with 5.3, I figured I should just run out and get to 6 miles.

Thursday: 3 miles, 9:44 pace, Saucony Kinvara 5 (coral)
Just a quick 3-miler at work. I stopped at Brust Park on the way home and ran on the Bike & Hike there for the first time. It's a little hilly, especially compared to most Bike & Hike trails. Definitely negative splits: 10:37, 9:39, 8:55. It was WORK getting that mile under 9.

Friday: 2 miles (walk), Strength, Saucony Kinvara 5 (coral)
I was off Friday, so you would think I would have gone for a run, maybe a good trail run. But I didn't. I was tired and I knew I was running long the next day. I did manage to convince myself to walk for a couple of miles before doing some weights, so that's kind of a victory.

Saturday: 10.5 miles, Saucony Zealot
The training group had 10 miles on the schedule. It was an easy run with a negative split. Then I ran out to get another member. It was the first long run in the Zealots, and aside from how dirty they got, they were good. I took a vanilla orange Carb Boom gel just after 5 miles.

Sunday: 5.25 miles (trail), Newton Boco
I would love for Sunday trail runs to become a new tradition, but that's not likely (definitely won't happen the next two Sundays). Anyhow, Aaron and I went out for a 5.25-mile trail run at Sand Run Metropark. Our look uses the Valley Link, Dogwood and Mingo trails and starts with a quarter-mile on the jogging path. After Saturday, neither one of us felt great, and I was disappointed to see how slow the run was.

How to Prepare for a Trail Race in 5 Weeks

The Salt Fork Spring Challenge is a race that I've been looking at for months, but I finally pulled the trigger recently. Between a Twitter promo that saved me $10 and the fact that the cost of the race was going up soon, I couldn't resist. The race falls the week before the Cleveland half, which is the last "long" run and it's only 8 miles, and I normally don't like to miss that run with the training group. It's fun and it's short and hopefully it gets them pumped up. But this group doesn't have too many newbies, and many of them are doing the Cleveland 10 Miler at the end of April.

In any case, I am not prepared. My endurance isn't great. I can run slowly, on the flat, all day long, but throw in steep climbs and I'm toast. Because of the training group, long trail runs aren't going to be possible either, but here's my plan:

Tip #1: Keep Running
Duh. I regularly run 25-35 miles/week, and I'll keep that up. I almost always have one run that's at least 9 miles, and it's usually slower. So I have the time on my feet.

Tip #2: Incorporate Hills
I've been hitting the Brecksville Reservation hill recently, and I'll keep that up. I need to resist running on the flat for short runs. I only ran 3 miles tonight, for example, but it was on a hillier section of the Bike & Hike instead of the flat section near my work.

Tip #3: Run Trails
Another duh, but I have to put it here. I always try to do trails, but usually end up with one or two trail runs per month. I would like to have one or two per week. I'm starting off well -- I had two trail runs last week. I'm off tomorrow, so I will likely do a short trail run if the weather cooperates. My legs are TIRED though so it won't be pretty.

Tip #4: Do Intervals
I'm going to do short, hard intervals with running recovery to get used to pushing myself (like on a steep incline) and actually running afterward. I think I'm going to start with 60 on/60 off intervals and see how that goes. Often, when I do intervals, I walk the recovery, but I want to train myself to KEEP RUNNING. I also like giving myself permission NOT to do tempo runs or mile repeats. Those are definitely the better workouts for distance races, but I'm not sure how helpful they would be right now. I haven't done this yet.

Tip #5: Drop 5-10 Unnecessary Pounds
I have time to drop 5 pounds without starving myself. However I ate dinner at Ray's, and I have a pint of beer and some chocolate staring at me right now.

I realize those are common-sense, but let's be honest: I haven't been doing some of these things. Maybe writing them down will help. I don't want to be completely trashed after Salt Fork so I need to prepare myself as well as I possibly can with the limited time available. Maybe I'll do a post about recovering from a trail race in one week since the Cleveland half is the next weekend. I don't have any goals for that race, as I said earlier; I'll just wait and see how I feel.

I'll let you know after Salt Fork if these tips helped. There is a time limit -- 3 hours, which is 17:xx pace. My goal pace is 12, but how can I have a goal when I haven't been training? Realistically, I'm guessing 14. I should be happy with that.

I think I've rounded up a person or two to do the race with me (not Aaron). That should help things. We can drive down together the day of the race and then drive back (one girl has to work that night -- luckily she's a lot younger than I am and in better shape; it would be impossible for me to do it probably).

Anyhow, that's the plan for the next five weeks or so. We'll see how it goes. I have Athens in between (I am formulating a plan that is realistic -- and doesn't get me to sub-2 but hopefully sub 2:03).

Team Zealot!

Earlier this year, I applied to be part of Team Zealot, which is Saucony's ambassador team for run-specialty employees. If you hang out with me at all, you know how much I love my Kinvaras or Breeze vest, so I was really excited to be chosen as part of the team. In fact, I wore my Viziglo Kinvaras, the Saucony Impulse short and the Saucony Breeze vest (with a tech tee I can't remember) for my marathon back in October. The Zealot program is a great opportunity to represent a brand I really believe in while working with the training programs and while running and doing races.

As part of the team, I received an awesome box of Saucony gear last week. It included new Zealots, Triumphs and Originals and a bunch of apparel. I will try to do some reviews because it's pretty cool stuff. I've already worn the Zealots (just for a walk though), the Originals and some of the apparel including the awesome Scoot Mini Capri (I wore the black, but I have the orange chevron that I'm saving for a special occasion -- or an occasion where I'll be photographed!).

BTW, me wearing a Saucony shirt
was a total coincidence. 

I'm really looking forward to my year with Saucony, which was going to happen with or without Team Zealot. The Kinvara is updating April 1 so you know I'll be buying a pair of those. I think I'm also going to get a pair of the Peregrine trail shoes. I should do that asap since I do have a trail race coming up very soon!

It's really nice that a middle-of-the-packer like me can get an opportunity like this. This is the first year for the program, and I would love to see them open it up to the general population (not just run-specialty employees) in the future.

03/23 - 03/29/15 Weekly Recap

Let's just jump back into this with a review of last week in fitness.

Monday: rest
I'm pretty sure I was just being lazy here. Aaron got off work early because he worked on Saturday. I ran the day before (easy though), so I wasn't that compelled to run.

Tuesday: 4.5 miles, trails, Newton Bocos (first run)
A couple of us met up with a local trail-running group for this run. We started early and then were late to meet back up with the group, so we mostly ran on our own, although I did run a bit with two other guys. One note: My lack of fitness is alarming, especially considering my spring racing calendar; more on that later.

Wednesday: 6.5 miles, roads, Saucony Kinvara 5 coral
Training group run so I ran it pretty easy. The group had 5, but I ended up with 6. I didn't feel great after Tuesday's trail run, but I loosened up. I also got to run with a guy and keep him under 10-minute miles so that was fun.

Thursday: 2.1 miles, TM walking, Saucony Zealots + core & leg strength
I hit the gym after work, but I needed a break from running. It's hard to judge the new Zealots yet.

Friday: 6 miles, Sand Run, Saucony RunShield Kinvara 5
I was going to wear the Zealots, but I was concerned that the path was going to be muddy. I didn't feel great going out, but I pushed it on the way back and got my final mile down to 8:48.

Saturday: rest
My parents were in town to brew beer, and we were too lazy to do anything before they got there.

Sunday: 6.5 miles, trails (Buckeye Trail), Newton Bocos
The trail was a muddy mess, but the weather was great!

So I ended up with mid20s in mileage and one strength session, which is low on both counts. I like to have two strength sessions (at least for core) and closer to 30 miles, but that isn't too bad. It's cool that I had two trail runs, which I'll talk about a little more in my spring plans post.