A Few of My Favorite Things – for running

While I was out on my tempo run this morning I was thinking about a few things that I love for running.  The first one is my SPI belt.  I got it at the Portland Marathon expo in 2011 and there isn’t a week that I don’t use it when I run.  I have the original one but it is water resistant and has the loops to put gels/gus on.  I also have the thingys that you can add to attach a race bib.  I would be lost without it!  It sits in place and holds my iPhone, key, and iPod nano perfectly while running.  It never bounces around regardless of what I am wearing.

My next favorite things is my running back pack, the Wink by Ultimate Direction.  If I have to go run for more than an hour I prefer to take this because it helps with all the food and water needs.  It fits like a dream.  Holds everything I need and I have never had any problems with it.  I used it on my first 50K trail run and I am using it for all my marathon training.  It allows me to have everything I need while running and to carry it comfortably.

Getting ready to start the day!

My last favorite thing is the book Run Less Run Faster.  I have been using this book to train for running races for the last two years. I bought it over three years ago but was intimidated by the workouts; they are hard!  Once I got more confident in my running ability I used this book to qualify for Boston by running a 3:34 and set a half marathon PR of 1:41.  The book is easyish to follow (some of the workouts can be hard if you don’t own a Garmin or have access to a track).  But it works!   That is what counts in my opinion.  It also works great for triathletes since it requires cross training.

Scrapbooking Software Test Drive – COUPON

I got an opportunity to test drive some scrapbooking software and as a result I have a coupon code to pass on to you, my loyal blog readers.  I will be trying the software out shortly and writing a review but in the meantime you can take advantage of  $10 of the software.  I am actually kind of excited to continue to put pictures of my kids together and make pages about my races and training.

Click here to visit the website.

And the code is : STMMMS45720

There Is No Try – The Sufferfest Product Review

I was introduced to the Sufferfest by a good friend about 18 months ago and if you have to do indoor bike training (like most of us) this is the product for you.  The first couple I did were Downward Spiral and Revolver.  Those worked well for me but about 8 months later I got an advance copy of two workouts that have become my favorite trainer workouts (if you can even say that about a Sufferfest workout).  They were A Very Dark Place and Hell Hath No Fury.  These have become my all time favorites, and also a little bit of a crutch when I am on my trainer.  So I had a hold of Quadrathon‘s computer and had a chance to do one of the newer ones, There Is No Try.

The workout consists of a ladder workout that many people are familiar with.  The ladder is 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, 8 min, 4 min, 3, min, 2 min, 1 min with very little rest in between.  But what makes this ladder special is the fact that each interval has four levels within it; so you are trying to go faster 4 times per interval.  My general attack for each interval was to start in one gear, increase the cadence for the second effort, increase the resistance for the third effort, and then increase the cadence again for the last effort of the interval so I can go faster for each one.  Some of the intervals were climbing based so for those I could just grind through 4 gears because the cadence was lower. The graph below shows how I did. (Click here for the Garmin data)

The name of this workout sums it up pretty good, “There Is No Try” and as Yoda says, “Only Do”.  Half way through the workout a message pops up that ask will you be proud when you go back and look at this ride; and while my speed overall wasn’t the fastest, I did DO this work out correctly.  I am proud of myself.  Every effort within the intervals was faster.  That was what you needed to DO; not TRY to do; because There Is No Try…

What was also really cool about this workout was it used the footage to Thibaut Pinot as he won a stage in the Tour de France from 2012.  I actually watched this stage and it was really cool to workout while he won.  It was an awesome stage to watch and even better to ride with!

Overall the work out rocked!  It will be in my A-rotation of trainer rides now that week day rides can only happen on the trainer.  They made a couple nice enhancements to this video; they have a better graphic which reminds you what your perceived exertion rate and cadence should be and they added a count down to show you when the interval will be over.

The video has all the elements that make the Sufferfest the best series of indoor training videos; great music, hilarious taunting (as well as encouragement from Yoda himself), and a well designed workout that makes excellent use of your time on a trainer.  It is well worth the $13.99.

IMBATTKYT

IronTrac App Review- Stalk me! #227

I got a friend request from someone on Facebook the other day that I accepted and I’m glad I did.  I have really shied away from the use of my Facebook account but this person looked interesting.  They have an app for your iPhone that allows you to track people during an Ironman event and look up past results.  It only costs$0.99 and so far it looks great!  I easily looked up my results from past Ironman events and I bet it will work great on race day for Ironman St. George!

If you have any friend or family doing an Iornman event you should give it a try!  My number is #227 for Ironman St. George.  Stalk me!

Myorope Product Review

With the amount of training I do I need to take the time to help my body recovery from all the work I make it do.  And when I say recover I don’t  just mean rest; I need to take the time for massage and stretching.  Up until now I have mainly used a foam roller for my self massage with reasonable results.  But I have been struggling with some issues that stem from my right hip/butt and have now affected my IT band.  A friend of mine saw the Myorope website and thought it might help.

I contacted Neil at Myorope and explained my situation and he was nice enough top send me a “Sixxer” to try out.  After reviewing the website on ways to use the Myorope I started adding in the the Myoprope as part of my active recovery routine.  Now I know the the Myorope looks a little funny but below are some pictures of me using it.

Working on my IT band at work. It is small enough to take with you any where.

It works really well for trigger point style massage in your glutes.

Post run I use it to work on my IT band.

Overall I think it is a great tool to have in your self massage tool box.  The balls are about as hard as a lacrosse ball but not quite.  The Myorope works much better than a foam roller when you need to really work out a tight knot.  What I tend to do with it is sit on it and find the sore spots in my glutes and just work at them.  It works great for my IT band as well because it applies more pressure to the really bad spots on the side of my leg than the foam roller.  It can be a little painful at first to use and you have to find the right balance so you aren’t putting too much pressure on you body, but that is true for all the self massaging tools.

The Myoropes vary in price from $19.99-$29.99 depending on the number of balls. I have the Sixxer but I think I am going to get a Duo also.  The Sixxer is good for my legs but I have a feeling that the Duo will be even better for my glutes/butt.  If you need a little more aggressive self massaging tool, the Myorope should fit the bill quite nicely.

Thanks again to Neil for sending me the product to try out.

3LC.TV Ladies Sportive Training Video – Product Review

I was contacted the other day by 3LC.TV to see if I would like to try one of their training videos.  Since I have to us an indoor trainer during the week for my bike training I was very excited to be given the opportunity to add a new training video to my arsenal.  I was sent a copy of the Ladies Sportive which essentially is a work out that takes you through the different stages of a race.

It breaks down to a warm up, a SOLID 40 minutes of guided training, then a 10 minute cool down.  During the work out some of the things you are instructed to use your bike to simulate  are hill riding, covering the moves, through and off, lead out, and of course a final sprint.  All of the instruction is related to cadence and perceived effort.  I have done computrainer training which is very specific per individual and requires special testing before you can do it.  The beauty of a work out like this is it is based on cadence (which most of us already have on our bikes) and perceived effort.  There is no special equipment needed (you can watch the cyclists in the video and match their cadence if you don’t have that on you bike).  I find perceived effort is a great way to gauge your training so this works great for me!

Overall I found the work out to be very well structured and extremely effective.  Recently I have been working on my cadence so I worked really hard to match the prescribe cadence for each set and as a result I had a great workout.  Each set was long timed perfectly in my opinion.  One of the things I really enjoyed was that the video really makes you feel like you are having a training session with a coach.  There was a lot of talk about what type of race simulation we were doing and most importantly there were many reminders about proper form.  My favorite set was the “through and off” which simulated riding in a line and then taking your turn pulling like you would see in a breakaway group.  It was very challenging but fun.  At all times during the video you are shown what you are doing, how much time is left in the set, and what the next set is.

Over all it was a very good training video.  My only complaint is the lack of music.  Music is very helpful to me when I am exercising.  At the same time I am training for Ironman St. George where I am not allowed any music; so it might be in my best interest to do some work without my tunes.  One last plus was the five different stretching videos at the end.  I am notoriously bad about stretching so the fact that they are right there was really nice!  I can’t wait to try all of them!

I would recommend the video as effective cycling training video.  It is a little bit more expensive than some other products out there but it is a DVD (nice quality) and it has the stretching included.  It definitely was effective for me; see the graph of my HR and cadence below…

Saucony ProGrid Kinvara 2 Shoe Review

For some time I have been on a quest to find a shoe that is neutral and minimal enough to help me transition effectively to midfoot running, yet still provide enough support because I am not ready for barefoot running (and I don’t plan to).  I needed a pair of shoes to use while I transitioned and the Saucony ProGrid Kinvara 2s were recommended to me by a friend.  I went to my local running store and picked up a pair.  I LOVE the fact that they are very affordable (usually can find them for $90 at the most).  They do run small so I had to go up a half size over my normal running shoe size (got a 9.5, when I would normally get a 9).

The first couple runs in them felt good.  They are much more minimal than I am used to running in so I did feel a little strain in my feet as I was getting used to a more minimal shoe but they never made my feet hurt.  I think I started running in them at the perfect time.  It was right after my big string of running races when I was easing off my mileage and concentrating on my form.

Here is the description from Saucony’s website

“Weighing at just 6.7 oz., the accolades continue to pile up for the Kinvara 2, the shoe that is defining the next generation of minimalist trainers built for everyday use. The Kinvara 2′s super light and flexible midsole is made from durable foam, and the 4mm heel-to-toe offset guarantees a close-to-the road feel. Light and breathable, the upper is made from mono-filament mesh that provides a comfortable, sock-like fit and feel.”

So recently I have been ramping up my running miles again and running exclusivity in these shoes (except on the trails).  I am very pleased with them.  They are so light it is almost like you are wearing nothing.  I enjoy them everywhere I run except downhill.  They have a pretty generous toe-box so steep downhill on varying terrain is a little tricky but that is not where I would generally run in these shoes  (I got the Saucony Peregrines for that!).  They have been the perfect shoe while I work on strengthening my calves to support my efforts to stop heel striking when I run.  I like the way they are constructed.  The material they are made from is really nice and I net they would be great in wet conditions (I live in LA and we just don’t get much rain, except when I am running a marathon or ultra!).

I will be running my first half marathon in them this weekend and I will comment specifically on how they worked for my race.  So far I have NOT torn the heel off like a generally do in all my prior running shoes and I am seeing wear mostly on the midfoot (113 miles run so far).  I do plan on getting another pair after this pair is dead but I am hoping to get at least 250 miles out of them.

The Sufferfest: Hell Hath No Fury Review

I have been using the Suffestfest videos for guided indoor cycling training for a little over 6 months.  There is something about chasing professional cyclists for an hour that makes the workout on a trainer bearable; as well as the awesome music and outstanding commentary. So when I heard that The Sufferfest was doing an all women video I wasn’t quite sure it would have the same draw for me…I was totally wrong.  I wanted to kick those chicks a$$es more than when I ride against the dudes!

First of all I generally train for endurance events (marathons and soon my first full Ironman) so I am not great with workouts that are about short fast intervals.  My body doesn’t work that way.  I think that is why I liked this Sufferfest so much.  It was broken up into four stages (the Tour of Sufferlandria) and the two middle stages were both 20 minutes each.  That length of effort works really well for me.  They both were broken up enough to keep you on your toes with breakaway efforts, hill climbing, and of course sprints.  This Sufferfest, of all the ones I have ever done, really had me feeling like I was in the race.  When you do it you will understand…

Here are the details of the workout:

• 3:30 Warm-up
• 5:30 Stage 1: Easy, flat terrain at effort level of 6/10 with a few accelerations
• 20:00 Stage 2: Rolling terrain with a series of attacks as the pack tries to take the lead from you
• 6:00 Recovery
• 20:00 Stage 3: More rolling, attacking racing in which you try to break away to get the lead back
• 4:00 Recovery
• 3:30 Stage 4: Team Time Trial in which you have to crush yourself in order to take the lead, and the Tour of Sufferlandria victory
• 6:00 Recovery, featuring Mental Training Reflection from Athlete’s Audio

It really was the best workout I have done from the Sufferfest.  It had a story that took you from the start to the finish.  I really wanted to make  the Sufferlandria team proud (and I didn’t want to be boiled!)  You must pay attention to the interview during the second recovery period, and enjoy the Mental Training Reflection at the end.  The music was great, the workout was challenging but rewarding, and the footage during the team time trial was amazing!  It is well worth your time because it really simulates real racing scenarios and give you an awesome workout!

KSwiss Kwicky Blade-Light Shoe Review

Fresh out of the box!

I have been running in KSwiss running shoes for the last year or so.  And as I have tried to increase my speed I have also tried to reduce my shoe, by running in something that is less of a stability trainer and more neutral shoe.  Prior to running in the Kwicky Blade-Light  I was running in the Blade-Light Runs.  I was happy with that shoe because it started to help shift me into a more neutral position and was starting to get me off my heels.  But when a company comes out with the new and exciting shoes, who doesn’t want to try them?

I was fortunate to be given a pair of the Kwicky Blade-Lights right after I did Vineman this summer and I was very excited to give them a spin.  I was gearing up to start my training for my A-race marathon of the year, Portland, so I need a good shoe to get me through.  They are extremely good looking shoes (yes, that matters to me) and I really love the material they are made from.  It is different from any shoe I have ever run in before.  It is made of material that is hydrophobic (water fearing for those of you that weren’t science teachers in your past) so it is water resistant but still breathes well.  Here is some of the details about the technical information for the shoes from the KSwiss website:

Profile: An innovative light-weight running shoe featuring Blade-Light technology and stability enhancement. 8.0oz, 227.76g.

• Guideglide dual-density construction featuring Blade-Light cushioning and side drainage.

• Superfoam heel crash pad and footbed.

• Aosta II heel outsole and Duraplush forefoot outsole.

• Dynamic TPU arch support and 3D medial posting for enhanced stability.

• Seamfree technology heat welded seamless upper for total comfort.

• ion-mask™hydro-phobic technology for state of the art water resistance. (ion-mask™by P2i)

The fit was excellent.  Lots of room in the toe box which is good for me.  I run up and down hills a lot so extra room in the toe is good for me.  The ankle and heal support is very comfy.  I did a lot of long runs in these shoes and at first my legs were pretty tired after the runs since there was a little less cushion compared to a traditional stability trainer.  But then again, I was doing 20 mile runs, faster than I ever had before (that could have been making my legs tired as well!)

The only problem I had with these shoes is related to how I run.  I am a very heavy heel striker and  as a result I managed to tear off the black sole on part of the heel after 100 miles of use.  KSwiss was very helpful to replace the shoes when I did this.  When I ran the Portland Marathon in these shoes I managed to do the same thing to them again (and after 100 miles).  I don’t think it is a flaw in the shoes but more it is a combination of my running style and the way the sole is constructed.

Ready to run The Portland Marathon

I do have to say, these shoes got me through a vigorous marathon training plan that included four 20 mile runs.  I qualified for Boston in these shoes and then ran another marathon 4 weeks later where I was the 4th overall women and 1st in my age group.  I couldn’t have done that without some good shoes!

SPIBELT- Best Running Belt EVAH! Product Review

I recently ran the Portland Marathon and with any larger marathon comes a pretty cool expo (hopefully).  I love to spend a lot of time at the expo and check out all the goodies.  This expo was no exception.  I went twice!  I got a couple really cool things but my favorite score was a SPIBELT.

I am the kind of runner that likes to carry a few things with her because #1 I often run alone  so I like to have my phone, and #2 I usually am out for at least an hour so I need some tunes. For the last couple months I have been running with a backpack/hydration vest that I love! It carries everything and more but I can’t wear it all the time.  Sometimes it is more that I need and something smaller would be great.  I used to use a belt that could carry water and had some pockets but as I lost weight the  belt would never sit still on my waist no matter how I adjusted the velcro.

The SPIBELT has been great.  It has an accordion style pouch that expands to carry more that it looks like it can.  I can fit my iPhone and iPod Nano in it easily.  It has the straps on it so you can hook on some gu or gel.  I also got the straps that you can put on to attach your race number.  What I love the most is the fact that it doesn’t move AT ALL when I am running.  It stays in place the whole time.  In fact, I often forget I am even wearing it.  This, to me, is the best feature of this product.  It is small, holds a lot, and doesn’t move when running.  I did get the water resistant model as well since I usually am holding some type of electronic device in it.

I highly recommend this product.  It works great for me and I could see it working great in a variety of situations.