Weird but True

Weird but True

Hold your breaths. Wait…Wait for it…

I am getting faster.

Yup! Faster.

F
A
S
T
E
R
!

Every week trail run group meets and runs 5 miles. The same 5 mile out-n-back route.

First week with the group it took me 65 minutes.
Second week: 56:48
Third week: 54:01
Yesterday: 51:02


I passed people running yesterday. I passed them at the END of the run. I felt so strong and awesome! People even commented to me after the run, “dang you were fast today!” Last two miles yesterday were 9:37 and 9:08! Wow.

I
AM
FAST(er)!


Ok, back to work for me!

Nathan Intensity Hydration Race Vest Review

New Nathan Intensity Hydration Vest
As promised –the new Nathan Intensity Hydration Vest review.

This pack is awesome. It works exceptionally well for my long trail runs where I am out for over an hour and there is no water source.

The Intensity is the women’s specific hydration race vest. Specifically, it is designed for a shorter torso—perfect for me. The vest is made of some exceptionally soft ultra space age material. I think I could get away with wearing this pack without any shirt—only a bra top—and be fine.

The pack has two main compartments. The first compartment holds the 2 Liter water bladder—the bladder is held in place wit a couple of clips. The second compartment is smaller and will hold a small jacket or some arm warmers. I usually put my keys in the smaller compartment.

The front of the water pack has two smaller holders. One is zippered—this one I use to hold my TP and plastic bags, just in case of runner’s trots. (This is a very handy thing to have it in the front of the pack. I do not want to be wrangling with my pack trying to find the TP in the back of the pack when I have dropped trough and am trying to avoid poison oak—I want easy access to the TP).The other compartment in front is draw string-like and that’s where I keep my Gus and Cliff Shot Blocks.

The hose is easily locked into place on the front sternum strap. The bite valve works fine and water comes out quickly and easily.

The sternum strap adjusts well. For me, I wear it beneath “the girls” since they seem to be in the way. It’s ok though.

The water bladder holds enough to last me 2.5 hours running in 100+ degree weather There is little to no water bounce when I run. My only complaint about the entire thing is that occasionally, my WIDE shoulders get stuck in the vest when I try to take it off.

All in all, the Nathan Intensity Hydration Pack rocks it.

Tidbits & Progress Made

Now that I have the garmin whining out of the way, I can tell you that it has almost miraculously started working really well. Only one part of it doesn’t work (training center) but I realize I have an older version of it on my computer so that should be fixed soon too.

AnyHOO, I just looked back at some of my recent 5 mile trail runs—since I got my garmin, I have done a particular 5-mile trail run 3 times. The times are as follows:

#1 Run 1 hour 5 minutes
#2 Run 56 minutes 21 seconds
#3 Run 52 minutes 1 second

Is Garmin making me faster or WHAT? HA!

This weekend my trail group will be running 10 miles on Quarry Road. Fred and Wilma and Barney and Betty will be out there.

Signed up for the 10 mile trail run, Blood, Sweat and Beers.
I’m scared.
I’m scared that they might run out of beer before I finish.

I found a new love—early morning bike rides. Rode Wednesday AM at 5:15 to 6:15. It was quiet and peaceful, roads were sans cars, & the air was clean. AWESOME! I’ll be doing it again next week.

I’m scared of the Master Swim group I have joined. I have not yet attended a workout. I need to do that, but even the thought sends me into a panic. Swimming fast at 5 a.m.? I need to SUCK IT UP and get in the water.

I am running Cowtown half marathon with my mom. She signed up, so we will run it together. My mom rocks it!

I haven’t thought about school or my thesis in weeks. I am so glad it is over.
Just informed I got a promotion—since I have that illustrious M.A. in hand. Hurray!

I'll re-test my Nathan water pack again on Sunday's 10-mile trail run and have a review next week.

Posting Dread

I have really dreaded writing this post.
Not because I have writers’ block, but because I really wanted to like the Garmin 310xt.

I really REALLY want to like it.
But I can’t. It is too frustrating for my short fuse.

So here goes:

THE GOOD:
• Small on the wrist
• Snazzy orange color
• Moves through the screens quickly
• Very very accurate GPS (I was expecting it not to be, but it is very accurate)
• The functions sound great—and would be very useful… BUT

THE BAD:
• It took two hours on the phone with Garmin to get the ANT+ and garmin connect to work properly on my computer.
• Then it still didn’t work
• ANT+ stick doesn’t always recognize my garmin
• Garmin charger is flakey and won’t charge my Garmin. There is supposed to be a fix for this on their website but I can’t find it. But the worst part is…

THE UGLY:
• Garmin turns off and on by itself when charging (that is when it actually agrees to charge)
• Garmin has spontaneously erased several of my workouts only to load workouts that I never did. For instance, it says I did a run workout on April 6. I did not get my garmin until July 6. The April 6 workout was not on my device until AFTER it spontaneously erased several workouts.
• Workouts will not load to Beginner Triathlete properly.


I really want to like this device. I am hoping that as the software bugs get cleared out, it will start to work better. The last 2 workouts have been saved on Garmin Connect but cannot be loaded to Beginner Triathlete properly. BT said they are working on it.

In any case I’ll test it in the water on Tuesday so that will probably generate a whole new round of software bugs.

Races:
I signed up for Blood, Sweat, & Beers trail race 10 mile distance
I will sign up for Cowtown half-marathon in October
I will sign up for Buffalo Stampede in September
I will sign up for Four Bridges Half Marathon in October
I will sign up for Clarksburg Country Run 20-miler in November.
I signed up for California International Marathon (CIM) in December
I signed up for Auburn Half-Ironman Triathlon in May 2010.

Workouts:

With the intense heat I bagged my Wednesday run.
I rode my bike for the first time in a month and half on Saturday. I did 24 miles up and down some pretty good hills. Beal’s point to Sunrise, then around Lake Natoma and back to Folsom Lake.

Sunday’s 9 mile trail run in the searing heat was too much. I walked a lot of it. It was around 1500 feet of climbing. I cut it short to 7 miles and drank 1.5 Liters of water. I used my new nathan water carrier and it was pretty good. Detailed review to come later.

That’s it. I watched the Tour yesterday and was blown away by Alberto Condator’s acceleration(s) up the mountain. GO ALBERTO!

Up NEXT... Review of my new Nathan Intensity Water Carrier

Garmin 310 Review

Coming soon...

Garmin 310 REVIEW


IT IS AWESOME!

F*KN HOT OUT THERE!

Not much to say today.
It has been HOT HOT HOT here.

Saturday 105
Sunday 112
Monday 103
Tuesday 103
Wednesday 97


Running in such extreme temps has sapped every bit of energy and charm from me.
Last night's five miler felt like a 100 miler.

I did just switch shoes for trail running. My ol' Mizunos were giving me blisters, so I exchanged them at Fleet Feet for a new pair of Asic 2140 trail shoes (PINK!)

In any case, I just got a call from Fleet Feet.
My new Garmin 310XT will be available for pickup on Monday July 6th!!!