The Running Experiment

Time is flying by as we get closer to the Nike Women's Marathon on October 21. My posts to the blog have taken a backseat since we've been increasing our weekly mileage. I never meant for running to take over my life. What I eat, what I wear, what I pack in my gymbag, what my workouts will be for the week. All this planning takes up most of the time outside of my full-time job. That's where the elite runners have the advantage. Personal coaches, unlimited supply to running gear and supplements, and the job of running. Where do I apply??? But just like any other job, the grass is always greener on the other side. I use running to escape the stress and to relax. After running, I have a fresh perspective on problems or I can even solve a couple during a good run. But can you run to escape the job of running? My guess is that there are professional runners who take up computer programming as a hobby. :)

Running gear and supplements. How much money do you have? I've been experimenting with both. My socks were a big deal since I was getting blisters between my toes. A fellow runner with TNT suggested the Injinji toe socks (www.injinji.com). I bought a couple of pairs and they are really awesome for the long runs. I still use bandaids on my toes (along with the socks) and I am very excited to be blister-free! Compression shorts: Compression shorts are supposedly a good choice for endurance activities. I thought I'd give it a try if it would help me achieve a good finish time (heh-heh). The shorts I bought were a little too tight around the waist, but overall my lower back and abs were not sore after a 20-mile run. I don't know that it makes a huge difference though. I'll probably stick with the one pair and not buy an entire new running wardrobe consisting of compression shorts. Gels: I've tried a few during my training with TNT. Gu, PowerGel, and Accel Gel. I still like Accel Gel because I'm a sucker for advertisement. ("Improves endurance by xxx%, improves recovery, blah blah blah"). Seriously though, I found a flavor that doesn't make me sick. The placebo effect doesn't hurt either. If I think it's helping, then it is helping....

So now that I've tried and tested all of these products, I should expect to run the marathon like I'm floating on clouds, with lots of energy, and zero pain! I'm looking forward to it.