Trotting for Turkey (November Running)

[Selkie]

[QUOTE=Bike Chick;610304...
I bought a pair of Newton shoes at the IM expo and have been wearing them walking. I'm anxious to try running in them and see if they make a difference. Anyone else tried the Newtons?[/QUOTE]

I had the Newtons when they first came out and LOVED them. Really forced you into striking on the forefoot vs your heel and I felt fast in them.

Once I'm sure I'm over the hump with my ankle issues, I might get another pair. Right now I'm slowly making changes to avoid injury. Have started wearing my VFFs around the house again, but I'm not sure I'll ever run in them again. Read an article in the NYT magazine yesterday about barefoot running that was interesting.

[Jolt]

I completely embarrassed myself on today's run...was on the town trails, throwing in some fast intervals, and during one of them tripped on a root that was hidden under the leaves. This resulted in essentially doing a belly flop. And, of course, a lady walking her dog was coming the other way in time to see me sprawled on the trail; I don't think she actually saw me take the digger but she sure did see the aftermath! Then I ran into her again on the way home because at that point we were going in the same direction and I passed her. At least I didn't get hurt during my clumsy moment...just a bruised ego!

[OakLeaf]

Oh yikes Jolt! Glad you're okay. It took me a ton of stability work before I quit falling on the freakin' road. I'm a little afraid to run trails! (Mostly though I already drive to do most of my cycling and I really don't want to get into the habit of driving to run, too.)

Newton shoes look interesting but they don't come in widths, so they're probably out for me. I have a pair of the NB Minimus cross-trainers for the gym that fit reasonably well in a men's wide. I went to look at a pair at the LRS the other day, but they fit differently from the cross-trainers and they don't stock wides. If I'm going to have to take a chance on special ordering, I'll probably go through the NB corporate store where I can return them without guilt.

There's a Level II Chi Running workshop coming up and I'm really tempted.

Long intervals for me today, three minutes at 5K pace, three minutes easy jogging, x 5. Glorious day at the fitness trail. On one of the repeats I passed a woman pushing her toddler son in his stroller, and as I swooshed by he went, "Whoa!!" At least I seem fast to a three-year-old.

Another cool sight - the trail backs up against a nursing home and then a stand of woods. There are often deer around who are very accustomed to humans. Today a nursing home resident was out on the patio in her wheelchair enjoying the sunshine, and a doe with a gimpy leg walked up to check her out. Made me smile.

[GLC1968]

Wow, Jolt - I'm glad you are ok! I read your description and almost phyically felt the wind being knocked out of me! I've taken spills like that and they are no fun.

Oak - I just ordered a pair of the new NB Minimus directly from NB (free shipping through tomorrow, by the way!) because mine get really wet in all the rain around here. Hopefully these:http://www.shopnewbalance.com/women/...i-sport/WO10GR will be better suited to the PNW weather.

Selkie - there IS a clinic near me in just a couple of weeks! Now I need to justify the $100 to my husband somehow (since I have like zero of my own money at the moment)....

[Jolt]

Oak, I know what you mean about driving to run! I do occasionally, but mostly I use the trails here in town, which I can run to in less than 10 minutes, or the ones on a farm in another part of town, which take just under 20 minutes on the road to run to (so that's my usual long-run route). Not as good as some trails further away (the town trail system doesn't have enough singletrack sections and has a lot of crushed-gravel surfaces in my area, which are not always the nicest thing to run on in minimal shoes), but I don't want to get in the habit of driving to run either.

[Crankin]

Jolt, I found myself splayed out on a trail a couple of years ago, and prayed that no one saw; I wasn't hurt, just roughed up, but felt totally embarrassed.

When I meant minimalist shoe, it's not one of the ones you guys wear. It's a regular running shoe that feels very thin and it's like I can feel the ground on the sole and even the body of the shoe feels thin. I can't describe it, but even though I have had no issues with the bunion since, I noticed the different feeling right away and i have not liked it. Well, it's a moot point as I guess I'm done with running until late winter/early spring. I want my foot to be in good shape for x country skiing, which is my absolute favorite sport and I only get about 8 weeks to enjoy it.

[colby]

Today's google offer for Austin was $5 off entry (and google donates $10) for Race for the Cure this weekend, so my husband and I are going to run that. I guess we'll "run" since he's not much of a runner and I just did Ironman Florida.

Going to switch over to training for the Seattle Marathon, Thanksgiving weekend. So far I'm running the half, not the full. I think it's going to take a lot of convincing for me to want to run the full. It's going to be a fundraiser for Child's Play charity, a charity that donates games to childrens hospitals (and wings of hospitals). I was a kid in a hospital once, and despite the fact that I was less than 2 when I had surgery and lots of repeat visits for both my eyes, I still remember it as very intimidating. Some of these kids effectively live there, the least we can do is entertain them More info about the nerds and I that are running: http://run.bravelittlescientist.com/

After that.... a break? Maybe? I am hoping to try some runs or rides in Austin when I'm there (which is about half time through end of the year, then who knows).

[7rider]

Selkie - there IS a clinic near me in just a couple of weeks! Now I need to justify the $100 to my husband somehow (since I have like zero of my own money at the moment)....

Huh. It's 50% higher in this neck o' the woods. Darned cost of living. Debating strongly, and got a bunch of negative feedback on the expense from friends in my tri club's meeting last night. Still, I'm such a dreadful runner that I wonder if this coaching will help me out in a way that "self taught" won't. But I agree, see if you can pitch it as an early holiday gift.

As for driving to run...I think once I get myself back up to 4+ miles, I will, if only because my neighborhood is so darned hilly. I have a 4 to 4.5 mile MUT run I can do that only rises with the stream bed it follows, so it's essentially a flat run. When I get up to that mileage, I'll "reward" myself with the flat run. For now, my 2-3 milers will have to be up and down the hills of my neighborhood.

[GLC1968]

Yeah, I would bet that the cost difference is demand, more than COL. I was amazed that this clinic is less than 2 weeks away and it still has 7 available openings. I guess Chi running isn't taking off here like it is in other places?

I'm actually working on convincing my husband to sign up with me. So far, he's considering it! He wants to be a runner, but has ITB issues every time he tries (from mountaineering and cycling, actually), so this might be a good opportunity for him.

Today I've got 4.5 miles on my plan. I'm going to TRY and get out at lunchtime today, but we'll see.

Oh, and I pretty much always have to drive to run. Luckily, I don't have to drive to bike, so it evens out.