« January 2007 | Main | March 2007 »

February 27, 2007

Ever Expanding Feets

It was just about two years ago that I bought my first pair of Brooks Adrenaline shoes. They were the GTS Vs in a size 7.5, and I loved them immediately. I spend the next year or so running in them and went through 3 pairs, until Brooks upgraded the shoe to the GTS 6.

When I bought my first pair of 6s, I tried them on in a size 7.5 only to find that they felt a bit snug. The guy told me that they'd changed the shape of the toe box slightly, so maybe a size 8 would be better? It was, and I went through another 2 pairs of those shoes.

Then, last week, it was time to buy another pair of shoes, and so I checked out the GTS 7s. I tried on the 8s.... and they were too snug! The 8.5s, on the other hand, fit perfectly.

Are my feet in some sort of ever-expanding state that I only notice when I change shoe models? Is this normal? Or are the folks at Brooks ever-so-sneakily making their shoes smaller and smaller?

Posted by Dawn at 04:22 PM | Comments (3)

February 18, 2007

Snowed In and Frozen Out

The weather has not made this a good week for the running around here, unfortunately. My backup plan was to spend more time in the pool, but for one reason or another I just wasn't able to make it to the club's evening workouts. As a result? I've spent most of this week sitting on my behind and cursing winter.

I am so very ready for springtime. Meanwhile, I'll just cross my fingers and hope this week is better.

Posted by Dawn at 10:51 AM | Comments (1)

February 11, 2007

Well, All Righty Then

Today when I checked the weather before heading out for my long run, I got all excited when I saw that it was 15 degrees outside. 15! Even the wind chill was above zero! That's the warmest it's been around here in weeks! (Although, I use the term "warm" very, very loosely.) I bundled up, although not quite as aggressively as I've needed to lately, and headed out ready to rock and roll.

Then it hit me - 15 is still cold. A 4 degree wind chill? Is also still cold. Ugh. Yuck. Whine. I realized that while the break in the weather was nice, I've just had it with winter. I've had it with fighting the cold. I've had it with being cold. I've had it with having to run the last 2+ miles of my long run directly into the wind that is always, always, always coming out of the west. I am ready to go for a run without my face falling off or my ass turning into a giant ice cube. I am ready for Spring, dammit.

I gave myself a little bit of time to whine, but by the time I'd reached the corner, I sucked it up and got down to the business of my 11 miles. I kept a nice easy pace, I felt good, and before I knew it I was turning off the lake and heading home. Directly into the wind. Ugh.

Happily, the training plan I'm using gives me the option of picking up the pace during the last 20 minutes of my long run if I feel like it. Since I didn't want to spend any more time running into the wind than I had to, I picked it up. A little bit on mile 10, and then I shifted it into high gear on mile 11. I didn't think I was going that fast, but I definitely felt the extra work. I figured it was due more to the fact that I'd been running for over 2 hours at that point than any sort of actual speed.

Until I got home, that is. When I went to log my workout, I checked the splits. That last mile? Was covered in 9:15. I didn't even know what to do with that information, so I just laughed at it. I wasn't sure I could run a mile in 9:15 in my current somewhat out-of-shape state, never mind speed through the final mile of an 11-mile run at that pace. Looks like there may be hope for me after all.

Posted by Dawn at 08:11 PM | Comments (1)

February 08, 2007

Finding My Limit*

I think I have found what my personal limit for running in the cold is: zero degrees.

Yesterday morning, I headed out for a 5+ mile run in 2-degree weather (before windchill). I had a major case of Arctic Ass (TM Dianna) when I was done, but I didn't feel cold or miserable and, to be honest, I quite enjoyed myself. I was all set to do it again this morning, but when I checked the weather, it told me it was -1 out.

I died a little inside, since the forecasts had led me to believe it would be at least 4 or 5 degrees. (Also, how sad is it that I'm all, "woo! 5 degrees! Party!") However, after spending nearly a week in hibernation mode, I wanted to get out there. Besides - it was 5:30 in the morning. What else was I going to do? The wind chill wasn't that much colder than yesteray, so I figured I'd be OK. I bundled up, headed out, and was a block from home when I realized it just wasn't going to happen. I was almost warm enough, and probably would have been OK, but my hands were freezing. While my Brooks gloves are pretty warm, they're apparently not quite warm enough for subzero temperatures. D'oh.

Time for Plan B: head home, go to work, then leave early and run in the evening before it got dark out. I figured it would have to be warmer out than it was in the morning, so I deemed the plan good. And it would have been good: I left work at 4, it was sunny and 10 degrees out - not tropical by any means, but not subzero either - perfect weather for a winter run. The only problem was I found out at 3:30 that there was a conference call I had to be on at 5 tonight for work. D'oh. No run for me, which is still bumming me out. Let's all cross our fingers that tomorrow morning sees positive temps and I can get a few more miles in this week.

In happier news, I went and swam with the swim club last night and it was fantastic. I fit right in ability and speed-wise with the Level I people (I was worried I'd be way behind) and the workout was challenging but not overwhelming. I was a little concerned about the fact that it was a 90-minute workout, since I haven't been in the pool for longer than an hour in ages, but that turned out to be a non-issue. I had fun, the people were nice, and I wasn't the only one who had no idea how to do a flip turn. Plus it was, indeed, far easier to get to than my gym, and the schedule is much better. I think this is going to work out very well for me.

Plus, the assistant coach that was there last night? Was way cute. That sort of thing never hurts.

*As soon as I thought of the title for this entry this morning, I immediately thought of StrongBad's "To The Limit" song, and it's been stuck in my head all day. Everybody to the limit!

Posted by Dawn at 06:17 PM | Comments (4)

February 07, 2007

Scared

While researching Masters swimming on the internets last month, I came across a group that holds swim workouts at the University a few miles from my apartment. They cater to all levels of adult swimmers - even beginners - and their practice times work out better for me than the organized pool workouts at my gym. Plus, they're way closer to my apartment (and thusly way easier to get to/from) than my gym is.

I sat on it. I pondered it for a while. Then, today, when I was pondering around their web site, I saw that they offered a free "trial" workout to new/prospective members. I filled out the form. I got my free workout coupon.

I'm going tonight. I'm incredibly nervous, but I think it'll be good. Just in case, though, cross your fingers for me and hope that they're nice, friendly people who won't make fun of the fact that I have no idea how to turn at the end of the lane without putting my feet down.

Posted by Dawn at 03:52 PM | Comments (4)