A Farewell To Socks

Like most athletes, I'm a little obsessive about my gear.  Well, some of my gear.  Other stuff I don't give a crap about.  For instance, running shoes - don't really care.  I'll run in any decent minimalist shoe.  On the other hand, there is only one running bra I will even consider and that's the magically bounce eliminating Freya Underwire Running Bra.  Underwire.  I recommend that bra to women like it's my job.

I also have one pair of extra special socks that I save for my longest runs.  I'd bet I've run 400 miles in those socks, probably more.  I think I've worn them for every race I've run in the last 4 years. Today I had a 16 mile run on the calendar. Of course, I pulled out my fav socks.  I wish - oh how I wish - I knew what brand and style of socks these are.  These socks were actually a giveaway at a race expo a few years ago.  For months I've watched them get progressively more threadbare and this morning I debated switching to a pair that wasn't about to fall apart, but decided they could make one more long run.

I was about halfway through my run when I realized the heel of my sock had disintegrated. I was on my way to one epic blister and 8 miles from my car. (How do you force yourself to run 16 miles?  You don't.  You force yourself to run 8 miles.  The last 8 miles are a desperate attempt to get home.)  I managed to stuff some paper towel inside my sock and it miraculously held up for the remainder of the run.

And I held up for 17 miles, overrunning my training goal by a mile.

Double Digit Mileage - Oopsie!

I took the last two weeks off from running for a trip to South America.  I packed my running gear, but there was so much to do that running took the back seat to drinking wine and eating beef.  I don't know how the people of Argentina and Chile stay so thin since they have so much yummy food and wine and they consume it in USA-sized quantities.  I know how Europeans stay slender: portion control.  South Americans seems to eat big, eat late and drink all day.  They have some miracle metabolic gene while I have a fatty-fatty-bombalaty gene. (I started posting trip stuff at: http://thirteenhourflight.blogspot.com/.)

This Saturday, it was time to pay the piper.  I was a bit behind on my training calendar and needed to do an 8 miler.  Since I hadn't run that distance in awhile, I decided to do the ultra-flat bay loop.

Here's the problem with doing the bay loop.  It's boring.  Buh-buh-buh-boring.  When I'm driving to the bay, I can see the highway exit for my all-time favorite run in San Diego: Sunset Cliffs.  From the name, you can deduce it's a hilly run with some 10-14% grades.  Despite my distaste for hills, I cannot resist the beauty of that run.

It was a challenge, but I felt really good and ended up tacking on two extra miles.  Felt good, but my quadriceps where screaming on Sunday.

New Team Starts Earlyish

I'm starting with a new running team tomorrow morning bright and are-you-kidding-me early.

It's been nearly 2 years since I ran with a team.  I've been running - or not - whenever I woke up on Saturday morning.  Tonight I spent roughly an hour prepping for the A.M.

Hat
Running dress
Shoes
Socks
Peanut butter shot
Water bottle
Recovery drink
Water bottle
Phone
Cash
Directions to the meeting up point.

I think I've got everything.  Oh and guess what time we start. Guess.

5:30 A.M.

Really.

I'm In!!

After years of entering the lottery, I finally got a spot in the race. I'm nowhere near marathon condition, but the New York Marathon has always been my dream. There's so much to figure out...race calendars, hotels, travel, training plans, running partners.


Right now, I'm not worrying too much about anything.  I'm just thrilled to be in it.