Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race):
Gu Complete Christmas Turkey Dinner Flavor: I’m totally kidding. This doesn’t exist. Read on…
I’ll do a couple of not so traditional food reviews first:
Mountain Dew: This is not a standard athletic energy food but I have used it during a couple of long races and it has a nice caffeine boost. If you like the Dew, it may be worth it.
Taco Bell: This is in the context of a night-before-the-race meal. Twice recently I’ve had Taco Bell at night and then I had a phenomenal training run the next day, which surprised me. I’m not quite willing to do this before a race, but I am considering it…
Now the traditional running rood reviews:
Gatorade Rain Berry: This has the scent of a floral bouquet but has a light berry taste. I enjoyed this. It’s part of their Frost line and it sat well in my stomach, so I could see using it during a race.
Honey Stinger Energy Chews Cherry Cola: I don’t know the last time I had a Cherry-flavored soft drink but this tasted like the ones I remember. I felt good, in spite of a light breakfast earlier that day.
Clif Bloks Strawberry: Maybe I’ve lost my taste for strawberry products but this one was odd. To be fair, I didn’t feel all that great the morning I used it. My head hurt, I had run really hard the night before, and my stomach was feeling odd. I ran strong the whole way back so that’s a testament to this being a solid product. If you’re not in it for the taste (and it didn’t taste bad) then this is a good one.
Hammer Gel Tropical: This tasted like a tropical smoothie; it’s phenomenal. A little caffeine boost, too (25 mg). I’d run the night before and was doing six miles on a lunch run and felt as fresh as if I’d had a day off. This is good stuff.
Goodr and Tifosi
Several weeks ago, I lost my casual sunglasses. Normally I would have made a quick replacement purchase but then something occurred to me. There was a solution that might cost a little more but would solve another running dilemma that I had been pondering.
I ran for roughly ten years before investing in a pair of running sunglasses. I eventually bought a pair as I was moving to Colorado and was told that with the abundant sunshine, especially when it has recently snowed, they’re essential. This is true. Eventually, my first pair wore out and I purchased a replacement pair. The brand is Tifosi.
For everyday sunglasses a sport style (where the frames don’t wrap all the way around the lenses) doesn’t cut it for me. For running I prefer it as it allows for much better peripheral vision. My current Tifosis are the sport style, they have a neon green frame (which may help a little with being visible), and the lenses darken and lighten depending on the intensity of the light. Strictly for running purposes, these are outstanding. For everyday wear, they’re a little intense.
When I travel, I have always debated whether to pack my running sunglasses. Bringing them in their case, which would protect them, would take up a fair amount of room in my backpack and I try to travel light. Also, I don’t want to risk them getting damaged by putting them loose in my backpack.
This is where, when I lost my casual pair, an everyday and travel solution in the name of Goodr came in. The brand is relatively new to the running market and their “thing” is that they make inexpensive ($25-35) running sunglasses with polarized lenses.
When purchasing my Tifosi glasses I had not considered Goodrs because the frames wrap all the way around the lenses. Unlike the sport style, the Goodrs work well for everyday wear in that the look, while a little out there, isn’t nearly as intense. The casual polarized sunglasses I bought in the past ran $16-20 so the Goodrs were only a little more. Even better, I had a solution for having running sunglasses when I travel as I could just wear/carry the Goodrs like I would my normal sunglasses.
For running, the Goodrs are excellent. They don’t give me quite the peripheral vision that I prefer but I can see well enough and the benefits of having them when I travel outweigh having the frames all the way around. Though they don’t darken and lighten like the Tifosis, they sit very well on top of my head so that when I’m going through an underpass or darker patch, I just push them back, then drop them in front of my eyes again when I need them. Other casual sunglasses I wore sometimes needed some break-in time if they squeezed my head but the Goodrs fit like a glove on day one.
I had thought about comparing Tifosi and Goodr for a post but the reality is that the pairs I own are two completely different products and each serve their purpose well.
Different sunglasses work well for different people, and we have our own sense of styles. But, there are plenty of options out there and you may be able to combine uses with them. (Generally I am vehement about keeping running products for running only; for sunglasses I make an exception.)
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Clif Shot Double Espresso: Wow. This stuff has 100mg of caffeine and tastes like rich coffee ice cream. However, be prepared for the caffeine and make sure you need it. It hit me in what seemed like seconds. I took it before I was going to run and while putting on my running clothes, I could feel it. Besides that, it did its job well and I could feel the caffeine effects through my run.
Anomalies…
(Edited from original post to remove duplicate heading and add running food review disclaimer.)
Before diving into anomalies, I just learned this week that I’ve been accepted to run on the 2019 Runners Roost Race Team. It involves racing a certain number of times during 2019 as well as volunteering in the running community and possibly with other traditional charities as part of the team. It’s an ambassador group on behalf of the Runners Roost brand and I’m looking forward to racing and working with them.
On to anomalies:
Will the 2:00:00 barrier be broken in the marathon? Most likely. When will this occur? There are three possibilities. The time will be slowly chipped away over the next several years, or someone will develop a new and unique strategy for attacking the time and be successful, or someone will have the race of their life and go sub-two. If the last possibility sounds the least likely or absurd, maybe it is, but maybe not.
There have been multiple performances by runners where they inexplicably ran far better than they did prior to that race. They all were experienced, usually professional runners so they already had many miles and races on their feet. Making that kind of jump in time could not just be a matter of having shown some promise as a runner and then getting into a better training program. And,considering that following this remarkable race their times never got close to it again, it raises the possibility that some runners may just have a once-in-a-lifetime race where everything clicks exactly the way they need at the exact right time and they exceed their normal expectations. Here are two examples.
In 2014, Dennis Kimetto set the world record in the marathon of 2:02:57. In spite of more well-regarded marathoners competing during and after that time, it was still four years before it was lowered to 2:01:39. Kimetto set the record at the Berlin Marathon. Coming into the race, he had an impressive resume but he also had never completed a marathon. Following his world record race, he has entered eight marathons and finished three with times of 2:05:50,2:11:44, and 2:14:55. It’s possible he has choked, or it’s also possible that he had the race of his life at the exact right moment.
Paula Radcliffe’s stunning marathon record of 2:15:25 in 2003 is probably the best well-known example of an exceptional running performance. Radcliffe had been and remained a phenomenal runner. There’s no doubt she could handle the pressure of being a top-tier competitor. Her second and third best times were 2:17:18 and 2:17:42. What’s interesting here is that the next fastest women’s marathon time after Radcliffe’s is 2:17:01 (women’s-only race world record), set in 2017 by Mary Keitany, and Radcliffe’s next-fastest two times are close to that. The 2:15:25 points to how dominant that run is in the context of the women’s marathon but it also suggests that Radcliffe had the race of her life at the right moment given that her next times were both around two minutes off her record. (Note: Radcliffe holds the world record for the marathon but they distinguish it from the 2:17:01 world record. Radcliffe was in the same race as the male marathoners and Keitany was not running among male competitors. In theory, Radcliffe could have paced off of men the whole race whereas Keitany was limited by traditional pacing rules and ran alone. For that reason, they distinguish the records.)
Back to a sub- 2:00:00 possibility. Dennis Kimetto’s second-best marathon timeis 2.3% slower than his fastest, Radcliffe’s is 1.39%.
With the current world record at 2:01:39, 1:59:59 just happens to be 1.38% faster than that. Did Eliud Kipchoge have a transcendent race that seemed beyond his normal capabilities when he ran the world record of 2:01:39? Possibly, but everyone knew he was capable of breaking the world record prior to that. Shattering it like he did was not expected and he ran an epic race, but considering he ran 2:00:25 in record-ineligible conditions, it wasn’t a shocking time.
The second fastest marathon time, 2:02:57, is 2.4% off of 1:59:59 and the third-fastest, 2:03:03, is 2.5%. Both are close to the percentages of other marathon performances where the runner seemingly rose above what they were predicted to run. Of course, the faster one gets, the more difficult it is to shave additional time and Radcliffe’s 1.3% might be a more realistic boundary for the top runners. It would take someone with Kipchoge or Keninisa Bekele’s ability to pull it off. I’m not making the argument that this is likely and there’s a reason that it’s easy to isolate cases like Dennis Kimetto and Paula Radcliffe, but if athletes occasionally have performances that transcend what they’re usually capable of, maybe it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Coffee Caramel Honey Stinger Waffle: There is a strong coffee flavor which I enjoy, accented by the caramel. It does have caffeine, which is appropriate. I used this after a 10K race and before a 3-mile cool down.Considering I had just raced, this worked very well as I felt good the whole time. Like other waffles, I would prefer to use this either before or after a run as it is a solid food.
Sources used:
https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20823734/these-are-the-worlds-fastest-marathoners-and-marathon-courses/
http://www.letsrun.com
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/apr/20/paula-radcliffe-london-marathon-record
The GOAT…
Who is the distance running GOAT, or the Greatest of All Time? Now that the 2018 New York Marathon is in the books, mainstream running events are largely done until the Dubai Marathon in January. The next event that is most likely to help define the discussion around the GOAT is the London Marathon in April.
So who is the distance running GOAT? The argument recently has come down to three people: Haile Gebrselassie, Keninisa Bekele, and Eliud Kipchoge. Traditionally, someone in contention for the GOAT title is prolific at the 5000M, 10000M, and marathon.
Let’s look at each candidate.
Eliud Kipchoge. His name gets included now largely due to his dominance at the marathon level. Besides crushing the world record at Berlin this past September and almost going sub-2 hours, only one person has ever beaten him head-to-head at the distance. All of his marathon wins, except for one, have come at marathon majors, the Olympics, or the highly selective Breaking 2 project. To maintain this kind of dominance for several years at this distance is phenomenal, possibly unprecedented. He also earned bronze and silver medals at the 5000M distance in two Olympic games and has posted times in the top-25 all time for the 5000M and 10000M. Because he has not set world records at either distance and did not earn gold at the Olympics for those, his inclusion in the GOAT argument is very recent and more complicated, but well-deserved. The fact that he doesn’t have as many medals and accolades at the 5000M and 10000M distances would make it difficult for some people to say he should get this title over these other two contenders.
Keninisa Bekele. He holds the current world records in the 5000M and 10000M and has posted the third-fastest marathon time of all time (and it was the second-fastest when he ran it) which he earned when he won the 2016 Berlin Marathon. He has three Olympic gold medals (2004 10000M in Athens, 2008 10000M and 5000M in Beijing) and 1 silver (2004 5000M in Athens). He owns six world championships on the track and eleven world cross-country titles. However, his marathon career has been inconsistent. He frequently DNFs and though he has posted fast times, his performance when he’s been in the same race against Kipchoge and other current greats has been disappointing. He has raced nine times against Gebrselassie and came out ahead of him six times. That being said, Bekele was getting into the prime of his career and Gebrselassie was coming towards the end. Bekele’s dominance on the track and in cross country cannot be doubted and puts him as the GOAT for many people. His inconsistency at the marathon keeps me from saying he’s the GOAT.
Haile Gebrselassie. He held the world records at 5000M, 10000M, and the marathon at different points of his career. He has two Olympic gold medals, both at 10000M at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney games. He doesn’t have as many world championships as Bekele and has zero cross-country world championships. However, Gebrselassie took monster amounts of time off the 5000M and 10000M world records and though Bekele’s records are technically faster, they’re not as big of a drop from the prior ones. Furthermore, besides setting the world record for the marathon, he won four straight Berlin Marathons and a Dubai marathon. It’s a very difficult call between Gebrselassie and Bekele, and Bekele’s track and cross country career obviously includes many more championships. However, given that Gebreselassie took the 5000M and 10000M into a new stratosphere and that his marathon career was more decorated, I would say he gets the edge for GOAT.
One similarity that Bekele and Kipchoge share is that they have been prolific in one area but not as decorated in the other. The advantage Kipchoge has, in my mind, is that his consistency at the marathon level is unparalleled. He doesn’t lose despite the fact he’s always running against the world’s best. In terms of someone being the greatest, I would argue that consistency is a big factor.
So what could change these arguments, either for me or someone else?
Haile Gebrselassie: Nothing, as he’s retired.
Eliud Kipchoge: If he wins the 2020 Tokyo Olympic marathon or were to go under two hours for the marathon, I would say it makes him the GOAT. Elite marathoners typically can stay at a high level for a few years. Kipchoge won his first marathon major in 2014, two years before the Rio Olympic games. To win a second gold six years and multiple major wins after the first would be nothing short of incredible. If Kipchoge were to win additional multiple majors and break his own world record, that might also be enough to make him the GOAT.
Keninisa Bekele: If he were to set the world record in the marathon, I would say he gets GOAT status. Given how difficult world records are to achieve and his dominance at other distances, two or more additional major marathon wins might also push him into that status, especially if he posted times in the 2:02 or low 2:03 range. His resume at the 5000M and 10000M distance, as well as cross-country, is so far above other runners’ that he doesn’t necessarily need a long, prestigious marathon career. But, while he’s had a marathon career that 99% of runners would gladly take, compared to Gebrselassie, he doesn’t have consistent excellence (relatively) at that distance.
Comparing these three runners is like comparing three five-star similar-fare restaurants. There will be little things that move people to choose one over the other but they’re all incredible. However, the argument is fun, there’s no definitive answer, and it keeps going.
At the present, there’s no other current runner who looks like they will be able to challenge these three but someone will come along. When they do, one of these runners will move off the list, or it will get more crowded and complicated.
In honor of a holiday revolving around food, here are three running food reviews.
Running food reviews of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race):
Gu Campfire S’mores: Note that it’s not oven s’mores or microwave s’mores. Campfire S’mores. To maximize the flavor, I tried this on a cold, rainy morning. It tasted good (maybe the weather helped) and it had a positive energy boost. I actually ate this on the first morning after taking 9 days off and it helped me run through any rust buildup.
Gatorade Cucumber Lime: If you ever wondered what it would taste like to drink a cucumber that’s been seasoned with lime, here’s your answer. I used this on a cold, snowy day though it had a “summery” taste. One thing that I liked was the lightness of the flavor. If you were feeling full but you needed hydration, taste-wise this might feel better going down. Technically it may fill you up the same way but the placebo effect could be there. I was not a fan of the taste but I could see value in using it for sustained energy. If you like the taste of drinking a cucumber, that’s an added bonus with this one.
Jelly Belly Sport Beans Lemon Lime: These taste like you would expect lemon lime jelly beans to taste, which is to say pretty good. For the energy boost, I did feel better on last two-thirds of my run so I would say they did their job. No caffeine in this one so they are better if you’ve already had your morning caffeine.
Sources used:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliud_Kipchoge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haile_Gebrselassie
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenenisa_Bekele
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5000_metres
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres
Holiday Running…
In the U.S. we’re very close to the long holiday season which starts later this month. It’s also the period when it’s easiest to deviate from exercise and workout routines. This is understandable as our evenings get tied up with holiday-themed functions and weekends get tied up with decorating and shopping. At workplaces, we’re trying to wrap up the calendar year on a shortened schedule as the business will be closed multiple days during the season. For some runners during this period of time, it may be that their three day a week plan goes to one or zero. For others it may be that their fifty miles per week turns into thirty.
If your running tends to slide or drop off during busy times, even if it’s not a holiday season, there are a few things to keep in mind. For an example for the sake of this post, let’s head for the middle and say your goal is to run four days per week for thirty to forty-five minutes but you’re not sure you can keep that up between late November and early January.
The beauty of running is that with the exception of walking, it’s the easiest form of exercise for people to do in terms of its logistics. You don’t need a bike, a gym, a pool, a court, multiple people to make up a team, etc. As long as you have shoes and a surface to run on, you can get out there.
Short of keeping up with your planned goal, what are some ways to still work running into your schedule?
1. Be flexible on the amount of time you run. If you’re squeezed for time, getting out for part of your normal route or a portion of your planned time is better than nothing. It won’t sustain the level you achieved or hope for though it will make getting back to that level easier than if you had opted to not run.
2. Be flexible on when you run. If your schedule is going to be interrupted, see if you can squeeze in a short one during a time of day when you don’t normally run. Maybe you can run on your lunch break, then eat a sandwich over your keyboard later. Or, you maybe you can plan to get up a few minutes earlier or take a quick run in the evening.
3. Be flexible on the number of times per week you run. If you can’t run four times for one week, try to do three, two, or even one. Like point number one, it’s better than throwing in the towel completely and you’ll maintain your fitness much better.
4. Check out local holiday-themed races. There are Turkey Trots and Jingle-Bell dashes all over the place. If there’s one close to you, it can be a fun way for you or a family to spend a morning. The best part is that if you have an event like that on the calendar, you’ll be more likely to keep up your running routine so that you’re prepared for it.
5. If you have kids and a running stroller, use running as an excuse to get them out, even if it’s really so that you can get out. Or, if they’re overloaded on treats or family time and are close to (or in the middle of) a holiday meltdown, this is a prime opportunity to strap them into the stroller and go get some fresh air while they calm down and possibly even sleep. (Do check that they’re old enough/big enough to safely ride in a running stroller.)
Enjoy the upcoming weeks. If you do keep to your schedule or a partial schedule, you will likely feel much better about having done so. Also, once January hits and the fitness resolutions are in full swing, you’ll be several steps ahead of everyone else.
Next time, the distance running GOAT…
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Clif Bloks Tropical Fruit Punch. These taste pretty good and they have a caffeine boost. I started my run using these planning to go an easy three. However, it was over 90 degrees so if you’ve read some of my previous material, you’ll know I decided to boost the mileage–a whole whopping mile and a half to make it 4.5 (I was on my lunch break and had a race three days later–two reasons to not extend myself.) Back to the Bloks. I ate them around 15 minutes before I left and washed them down with water. They worked.
State by state…
I’ve written about running while travelling in a prior post from the angle of packing efficiently and staying safe in new areas. This post is on how to use running to enjoy an area, or to temper any aggravation you’re feeling from being there.
This past week on a work trip to Indianapolis, I got to add Indiana as the 28th state where I’ve run. Though I don’t have a desired goal to run in all fifty, I do enjoy adding to the list.
A big bonus for me of running at sea level (or anything significantly lower than my usual 5280 in the Denver area) is the extra oxygen. I feel like I can fly. For once, no matter how fast I move my legs I still have plenty of air. This was not the case before moving to Denver as my lungs were already used to sea level.
Besides this, and besides being able to see new areas closely, there are other benefits to running in new places. Part of the enjoyment is creating and expanding a list but it’s also being able to see new areas more closely and in some cases, to experience new types of terrains, conditions, and other challenges. While I may not be rolling off fifteen or twenty miles and taking in hours of scenery, I am on the ground and moving at a pace where I can easily observe and absorb my surroundings. The more places I get to run, the larger the variety of my experiences. Sometimes my experience is enhanced because I was looking forward to running there anyway; other times it can help balance the trip mentally.
When I travel for work, running may allow me to see the area in a less stressed way than navigating traffic and thinking about upcoming meetings or events. When I went to Maine many years ago, my trip there took longer than I expected, it was dark and rainy, and I got to my hotel later than planned. My appointments the next day were at several places where I’d never been and I had to navigate my way through unfamiliar areas and lousy traffic. My mood was sour.
Late that afternoon, I found a small lake with a dirt trail around it and I did an eight mile run on that. It was late fall and though I’m not someone who gets excited about leaf-peeping, I had to admit it was a beautiful scene. More importantly, it allowed me to appreciate the area in a different way than if I had only dealt with the aggravations of traffic and an unfamiliar commute. Rather than barricade myself into the hotel and use their treadmill for running, getting out onto the trail balanced out the trip and allowed me to see the area in a more enjoyable way.
Maybe New England is an easy place for most people to find ways to appreciate the area, but running can also allow you to enjoy a place in a way you didn’t expect. On a separate trip to Beckley, WV, while I did like the town as a travel stopover (lots of restaurants, places to stay, etc.) it was not a place I expected to like running and when I stepped out of the hotel that morning, I assumed my run would be purely functional. I didn’t enjoy running there as much as other places, but it also was the case that running in that West Virginia mountain area opened my eyes to seeing the city as more than a convenient travel stop. With plenty of hills to cruise up and down on, the early morning fog hanging over the mountains, and the relative quiet, it was a more pleasant start to the day than I had anticipated.
Prior to going to Indianapolis, I scoped out the area on Google maps to get a rough idea of what my running options would be. When I hit the pavement, I was able to find the White River trail that the maps said existed and it went to where the map said it would. The trail was concrete and set higher than the river so it gave a good view of the water and the area around it. On the first morning, I kept it pretty simple: three miles out and back, much of it along the IUPUI campus. The way back seemed much shorter, as it sometimes does. From studying the maps, this was about the only decent running option in the downtown area. However, it was a decent option which is not always the case.
One morning I ran with a colleague; we went farther than my initial run, around six miles total, and on a different route on the other side of the river. The trail took us through different areas, some lined with trees, some going by urban complexes of buildings.
Though there weren’t other trails to explore to allow me to see different parts of the city, I have always found value in running a route many times as it allows me to see how an area changes or looks slightly different. For trails at home, the change can be over days and years. For even a short trip, it’s interesting to see the view change with slightly different types of sunlight or cloud, times of days, weekends versus weekdays, etc. While the route may be the same, what you see can be very different every time you go on it. This was the case with Indianapolis, getting to see the city wake up and head to work at various hours of the morning.
Many of the places I go I look forward to running and it’s often that my expectations are matched or exceeded by how my run goes. Yet it’s equally as valuable to have running allow me to see an area that I previously considered bland or irritating in a more positive way. At the very least, I come away with a more balanced perspective and even better, I get to reset internally and move on to the next spot, shoes at the ready.
Running food review of the week (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans Watermelon: I assume you’re familiar with the taste of orange juice right after you’ve brushed your teeth. There was a hint of that flavor while eating these. My first reaction was that I must have just brushed my teeth, until I remembered that I had not. While the watermelon part was stronger than the “orange juice on just brushed teeth” portion, it was an odd taste. There were 50mg of caffeine and though I was sluggish much of the morning, there was a positive energy factor. Its main purpose, an energy boost, was good but the flavor was poor. If I had nothing else to use on a long run, I could handle either of these. However, I’ll be purchasing other flavors of this product.
Winter running gear part two…
(An extra disclaimer before this post: Running in winter conditions can be risky for many reasons. Consult with a medical professional before doing so.)
For running tights/pants, if you get cold easily you may want a thicker pair of tights or a pair of running pants. If you run warm, you’ll want to go thinner. Since we have lower humidity in Colorado I’m able to use shorts down to the thirties, though I’ll often use tights even in the forties. In the high teens/low twenties, I’ll use tights and anything below that, I’ve got a heavier pair of paints. Once the temperatures go sub-zero, I’m wearing a pair of thin tights with a thicker pair of running pants on top. It inhibits motion but like the bandanna/gaiter combo I mentioned in my previous post, it protects my legs. When it gets that cold, your workouts are more functional and you’re highly unlikely to run your best times so the limited motion is just a nuisance, not a problem. The function is more to keep you in shape and prepared for crummy race weather. If you’re just starting out, I’d go with a pair of tights and if they’re not enough, toss a pair of track or sweat pants over them.
I’ve never noticed a big difference among sock types for winter running in terms of cut (hidden, crew, etc.) and Balega and Feetures are still my go-to brands. If it’s under ten degrees, I will definitely wear thicker socks for warmth that are also crew-style so that my skin doesn’t get exposed by having my tights/pants creep up above a low-cut sock line. Otherwise, as long as my feet are moving and I’m not stepping in creeks or puddles, my feet are fine. Whether I wear thin or thick socks usually depends more on the distance I’m running (thick socks for long distances to get cushion) or whether I’m racing (lighter-weight thin socks). If you’ve invested in good running socks for the summer, you can use them for the winter. But, I would get a pair of crew socks for those extra cold days. If you think your feet are prone to being cold, thicker socks may be better for you even in the twenty to thirty degree range and regardless of your sock type, avoid getting your feet wet during the winter. It’s miserable.
Eye protection. The one thing I’ve not figured out with winter running is how to combine sunglasses with a neck gaiter. When you do, your breath goes straight onto the lenses and fogs them up. On a day where you need both, you either need to sacrifice one (and I’d say leave the sunglasses behind; there are ways to deal with bright glare) or you need to switch between the two, which I typically do. I’ve realized you could probably use a pair of ski goggles but there are only a few days per year where this would be necessary and I just keep my runs shorter those days. Also, ski goggles will be expensive (not to mention they’ll look absurd) and unless you were using them regularly, are probably not worth it. If it is bitter cold and your eyes are uncovered, it’s smart to put your hands over them every now and then. I’ve had my eyes water and then had that moisture freeze. It’s not pleasant. If you cover your eyes with your hands every few minutes/rub them gently, that should do the trick.
Traction gear. I bought a pair of YakTrax a few years ago and they are wonderful. I’m still very careful when I’m using them on slick surfaces and I don’t take off like I’m racing a 5K. However, compared to what it’s like when you’re running on slick surfaces in just shoes, the difference is night and day. There are heavy-duty styles of traction gear but the YakTrax seem like the best design if you’re mostly running sidewalks and some trails. Anything heavier is more designed for mountain trail running. They’re fine for those surfaces but for your average sidewalk/suburban trail, it would be like using a sledgehammer to drive a roofing nail. It’s just overkill. YakTrax may seem like the most unnecessary winter gear but consider this. Mine were around $35 and I bought them three years ago. I’ve probably worn them 7-10 times per year (the snow often melts quickly where we are) so if I’ve used them 25 times, I’ve paid $1.40 per use and that cost per use will go down. Consider that against falling and breaking a bone.
Last but not least, long sleeve shirts, pullovers, and jackets. If you’re on a budget, a light to medium weight pullover will go a long way, especially if you can layer underneath or use a vest over it for especially cold mornings. However, having all three of these items gives you many good options for all kinds of winter weather. It’s not often that I need my heavier running jacket or thermal pullover, but when I do, the run is relatively comfortable and unless it’s sub-zero outside, I can often get away with one layer underneath, as opposed to three or four layers if I just had a light pullover.
One other item in the pullover/jacket category is compression sleeves. These are not only perfect for those mornings where it’s borderline on whether you need sleeves, they’re also ideal if there’s light, cool precipitation. One area where I’ve also found them useful is if it’s warm but the wind is up. They’ll offer protection for your skin from the wind and from any minor dirt blowing around. But, they’re light enough that they don’t overheat me, even if it’s in the seventies.
While buying gear from a running store will almost guarantee that the material will be high-quality and last you a long time, I also bought a pair of running tights at Target for $20. They’re not quite as good as my other ones, but if I need to travel with a pair or leave them at work for a couple of days they’re great, since I don’t really worry about what’s going to happen to them. And, they could be a great intro pair for someone who’s just getting into winter running.
Related to my cost-per-use number above, if you take care of your running gear, it can last a long time. I bought my running pants in 2005 for $60. Even if I only use them 20 times per year, that’s 260 uses which means my per-use cost is around $.23. Since many gear specialists would cringe at the thought of someone using a pair of pants that long, I’ll take a more contemporary price of $120 and say the person uses them for five years and wears them 30 times per year. The per-use cost is $.80. That’s still not bad for the sake of comfort and protecting your skin. Is there initial expense to running gear? Yes. But take good care of it and it’ll last you a long time and per-use, it’s well worth it.
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Gatorade Fruit Punch Energy Chews. These taste pretty good. I was skeptical, thinking that Gatorade was just trying to get into the energy food game but I used these on an empty stomach and felt good on a run that included a fair amount of wind. Also, a friend of mine who veers more towards natural energy foods and beverages (ie, not Gatorade) likes them too, so consider this two endorsements for this product.
Apples to apples, or mocha to mocha…
Though it’s late October and I’ve not pulled down my winter running gear, I will need to do so soon. Given the number of years I’ve been logging miles, I have accumulated a large running wardrobe for all seasons. If you’re just starting out, either with running in general or trying to stay running year-round, the thought of building up a winter wardrobe can be daunting given the number of selections out there and the expense. However, you can slowly build up to having a decent-sized wardrobe while staying relatively comfortable in the meantime. And, relative to how much you use it, the cost may not be as bad as you fear.
The most important articles are the ones against your skin. If you have a technical/moisture-wicking t-shirt but no technical pullovers/jackets, you can use the t-shirt and then put a second layer, like a sweatshirt or long-sleeved t-shirt, over that base. If you have light technical running gloves but it’s sub-zero, you can put heavier winter gloves or fleece mittens over them. If you have a light hat, you can cover it with a standard stocking cap.
As a general rule, I have always been pleased with Brooks apparel. Two of my winter hats, two of my pullovers, and one of my warm jackets are all Brooks. They’ve lasted a long time, they are comfortable, and they have performed very well. However, I have a wide variety of brands and it’s helpful to go into a store and get a sense of the different fabrics and fits.
If you run warm (you get hot quickly and sweat a lot) you’ll be buying different clothes than a person who does not. Generally you should dress like you would if it were twenty degrees warmer outside than it is and you were planning to just be outside and not doing something very active. If the thermometer reads 40 degrees, then wear what you would if it were 60 degrees. Once it gets under 20 degrees, I just cover up. (I once ran in shorts when it was 17 degrees and crept down to 13 degrees, but that was because I gauged the temperature by checking our sun-baked front porch as opposed to actually looking at a thermometer. Check the thermometer.)
If you have a technical t-shirt and are looking for your next-best investment, go for the headgear first. It should be common sense that keeping your head warm is important. Also, you’ll be more comfortable. With headgear, there are numerous choices. You can go with a warm headband or a beanie/hat. I would start with a beanie/hat, because it will keep you warmer and if it’s snowing, it keeps the precipitation off your head. If you live in an arid climate and don’t get much snow and you tend to run warm, you could go with a headband. There are thin material hats and headbands, as well as heavier ones. If you run cold, you might start with a heavier one. Otherwise, you can use a thinner one and layer. I bought a Brooks beanie a couple of years ago and though it’s thin, when I’m running it keeps my head very warm.
Gloves are essential. Fortunately, if you’re not ready to drop $20 on a pair of running gloves (I also noticed Costco had some $12 pairs recently) you can always use a pair of cheap cotton ones from a hardware store. It may not look fashionable but as long as your hands are covered, that’s the main key. It’s only on longer runs where you may sweat through the gloves that more technical gloves are imperative. I’ve got a light pair for 30 degrees and up, a heavier pair for 5 degrees and up, and if it goes under 5, I use the light ones with a pair of fleece mittens on top. Besides these, I’ve got a few cheap cotton pairs that I use quite a bit, especially on runs that are under ten miles. It saves the abuse on the higher quality gloves, which I can then use for long runs or race days, since they’re lighter.
There are a couple of ways to protect your face. I have a fleece neck gaiter and I also have a couple of headwraps (made by Buff) that can be used as a headband, neck gaiter, or you can turn it into a small hood. (Someone told me there are 25 possible uses with them.) Unless it’s under 20 degrees, or there’s hard precipitation, or both, I generally don’t find that I need to cover my face. But, everyone’s different and it’s good to have something on hand. If it’s sub-zero, I wrap a plain old bandanna tightly around my mouth, then use the neck gaiter on top of that. There are two downsides. First, it makes it more difficult to breathe (though the positive of that is it simulates a higher-elevation workout). The second is that the bandanna just gets gross. Plan to drop it straight into the hamper when you’re done. However, it protects my face and lungs from the bitter cold, and that far outweighs the downsides.
I’ll do part two of this post next time…
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Hüma Chia Energy Gel Café Mocha: Here’s the mocha to mocha comparison. Unlike last week’s Clif Shot Mocha, this one was much thinner and easier to swallow quickly. That’s the positive. The downside is that the mocha didn’t taste quite as good (it seemed like the espresso got a bit burned) and though it had caffeine, I didn’t feel any kind of energy boost. My legs felt fairly heavy the whole time and I never was able to get past that. This was especially odd since I’d not run the day before. As I mentioned in my Hüma strawberries review, I do like some of their products, especially because they are good in the wee hours of the morning, but this specific one just didn’t do it.
Safety on the run…
(Note: Original post has been edited to include Running food review of the week label and disclaimer.)
A couple of weeks ago, I was running on my local trail and a wave of obscenities, coming in at a low volume, started towards me. It grew louder until its source appeared, a raggedy-dressed cyclist who must have been drunk, nuts, angry, or some combination of those states. My hackles were up but we passed without any issues.
The week before this, there were police cruisers on the trail due to reports of a suicidal person with a loaded gun in the area. I stayed alert but didn’t see this person. One morning when it was still dark and I went through an underpass, there was a sleeping bag under which someone was thrashing wildly. On my way back, I detoured onto the road above.
I’ve seen odd characters dressed all in black meandering on sidewalks/roads in the wee hours of the morning, mentally ill (presumably) people shouting direct threats, etc.
All of these things occurred in good areas. The trails and paths I use, while going through some industrial spots, don’t go through neighborhoods known for crime and yet, strange things happen.
The chances of something happening to you are slim. However, you still want to be careful. How? Be aware, be smart, and be flexible. If you don’t already, carry a phone. Pepper spray is an option. In a pinch, you can always grab a rock or two.
Be courteous to others, not just in terms of trail etiquette but also by giving them a heads-up on a credible issue, such as a dangerous wild animal or an unstable/dangerous person. I’ve had to warn others about a mountain lion, coyotes, and snakes.
If you’re running in the dark, have a headlamp and/or flashlight with you. This should be an obvious accessory in the dark anyway, but besides illuminating the path in front of you, it also allows you to see an upcoming area where there aren’t street or other lights. Thus, you can sweep a spot that looks dark and sketchy before passing it.
If you see someone or something odd, be flexible in your route and take a different way, if possible. This can be frustrating if you have a very specific workout planned, but it’s better to take a small detour than end up on the evening news. As I pointed out in an earlier blog post, if you’re training for a race, weird things can happen on race day so it might work to your mental advantage if you have to make an unexpected change to your training run. It’ll prepare you for aggravating adjustments.
Coincidentally, at my local run club last night there was a brief introduction to self-defense. Everything above is in the vein of being aware and proactive and avoiding issues. Self-defense classes are another option. My initial takeaway was that there are some basic tactics you can use for self-defense but that you would probably need to practice them regularly in order for them to remain effective. Of course, if you take regular classes you would likely get more proficient at these skills.
As I said, be aware, be smart, be practical. It’s not guerrilla warfare out there (and the aforementioned incidents occurred over a period of several years, not daily), but it’s not always issue-free, either.
A more pleasant topic for next week…
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Clif Shot Mocha: Bring out the fork and knife. This stuff is thick. It would be not be good during a run, especially one like a marathon where you may be trying to ingest it quickly. It does have 50mg of caffeine so as a pre-early morning run boost, it could be outstanding. I had a very empty stomach prior to starting my run when I used this but I felt good the whole way. Considering how thick it was, it was kind of like a meal.
The challenge of rest…
I mentioned in my last post that I was in the middle of 7-10 days off. It’s the first dedicated time off I’ve taken in years, meaning it wasn’t due to injury or illness.
In addition to no dedicated time off for years, I had spent most of this past spring and early summer training for races, including lots of speed work. Over a three week period in June, I raced three times. The final one was a 10K. During the final mile, while I finished strong, I could tell that my legs needed a break. Because I enjoy summer running so much, I backed off to “maintenance mileage” and an occasional longer run. By mid-September, I knew I would benefit from an actual break.
My understanding is that it’s good to take 7-14 days off once per year but there are many frustrating aspects of this. These include that you’re not doing something you enjoy, you’re losing a week of training, and if you go too long, your legs might start to regress from the training they had. All of these frustrations ran through my head but reluctantly, I gave in. To compensate, I ran twice the day before I was going to start my time off.
When you take time off, whether you do something else during that time period such as bike, swim, etc. depends on you. It also partly depends on the length of the rest period. Given how short this rest period was, I went on one long hike and managed to get a short walk in most days, but I mainly laid off. Were I to go longer, such as two weeks or more, I would sprinkle in some other activities so that I would still be staying in motion.
By the fourth day of this break, I could tell that my body appreciated it. I wasn’t nearly as stiff when I woke up in the morning and by day eight, my legs felt revved up and ready to go. At the beginning of the time off, I’d decided that I wanted to feel excellent for a day or two prior to starting my running again, just to ensure that the rest had done its full job. So, I took day nine off, then hit the road on day ten.
Because of how I felt as the break went on, I realized how valuable it was to do this. You might be wondering how, after 25 years of running, I only just now understood this? Even though I know there were times when I took dedicated time off in the distant past, my guess is that from my mid-teens to early twenties, I wasn’t really paying attention to how different my body felt at the beginning versus the end.
During a period from October 2005 through May 2014, I was doing 20-30 miles per week but not racing and thus not putting my legs through speed workouts. By not engaging in a substantial amount of “hard” running and by having a few days off every now and then if I caught a bug, I never felt the need for a longer break. In April of 2015, I broke my foot and had four months of involuntary rest. So, there was a long period during my mid-20s to late 30s where I either didn’t feel the need for rest or was forced to rest. This was probably enough to keep my legs from feeling worn down on a deeper level.
Call it wisdom gained, maturity, or finally going with common sense, but I made it through nine days of rest and I was fairly patient the whole way. My first run back felt pretty good, all things considered, and on the second day back, I did a six-mile run with my neighbor, which also went well. I’ve not used a stopwatch on my runs thus far and though I’m sure I lost a little of my training edge, the flip side is that I gained quite a bit physically in terms of rest and mentally from realizing that this can actually be a good idea. I’ll try to keep the brakes on and only build back up gradually. I looked longingly at the start of the extra 3 mile chunk I can add on to one of my usual courses at work but I held firm and stuck with the shorter run. 3-mile runs are a staple distance so I’ll do five of those per week plus a 6-mile run on the weekend the first couple of weeks, then move up from there.
There are a few topics I’m looking forward to covering so next week’s will be a surprise.
Running food review of the week: (note–gels, bars, chews, and other items affect everyone differently. Try them on a short run before using them for a key training run or race): Hüma Chia Energy Gel Strawberries. I will never eat this again. Generally I like Hüma energy gels, especially on an empty stomach in the morning. However, while this one had a strawberry flavor and while it wasn’t foul, it was odd and not pleasant. On the positive side, it delivered good energy and was easy on the digestive system so no complaints there. But, the flavor was one of the strangest I’ve encountered.