Walking with Gene Kelly

I can't say that I did any dancing this morning -- for which the universe should be grateful, my being a grandmother who never managed to master the Hustle -- but I did knock 6.64 miles out in the rain, thanks to Tropical Storm Lee. This system is supposed to get worse in the coming hours. I would not have gone out if conditions had been worse, of course, but what was out early was enough to sort of get myself over the mental block of getting out in the rain. From now on, I will choose not to walk in the rain (unless I really want to) rather than say "I can't walk in the rain."


Because, obviously, I can.

I did take some precautions, given how dark the skies were, and because I knew in these conditions I might be less visible to motorists. Here was how I dressed for success.

A big thank you to my friends from the Pacific Northwest who sent me that fabulous reflective harness. I wear it on early morning walks if I get out there before the sun is quite up, and will wear it if I get back to my night-time walking (which I love, and miss, but nobody will let me do it anymore), and it really is important to make sure you're as visible as possible out there in yukky conditions.  

The rain hat was great, too: my long suffering husband plunked that on my head before I left the house. I'm glad he did. It did a swell job of keeping the rain out of my face.

That black thing around my waist? It is AMAZING for being able to tote your phone with you. I tried one of the arm things, but don't like them at all. This is incredibly comfortable, and it protected my iPhone from the elements just great!  It's one of the best investments I have ever made for walking. 

To your left is a bandanna. I always tuck one of these onto that waistband. Sometimes my nose runs, or allergies get to me, and I haven't yet perfected the art of the snot rocket. Actually, it's not an art I think I will ever even try to perfect, come to think of it. Also, I have reasons to think having a tourniquet handy on a walk is a good thing. I am, after all, married to a man whose motto is "Be Prepared."

To your right is my pedometer. I wear this almost all the time, exercising or not. I find that when I wear it I am more inclined to move more no matter what I'm doing. Get yourself one.

So. I'm putting that in my DONE bucket.

Total Miles: 6.64 

Total Time: 1:42:58

Pace: 15:30

My Feet, In the Right Place

Raise your hand if you remember day-of-the-week underdrawers.

I went looking for a picture of the ones I remember all the girls had back in the 1970's, but couldn't find exactly the ones I was hunting for. I think they came from Sears. Never mind -- those of us who know what I'm talking about will remember them without visual aids. I can't remember all the colors, but I think Fridays were black with red lettering, Saturdays were red with black, and for sure, Sundays were white with pink lettering. I don't remember much more than that, other than it was critically important that you have on the correct day at all times, lest you look like (a) you couldn't read or (b) your laundry wasn't getting done.

Sometimes it is helpful to have a little guidance from one's clothing, don't you think?

You may remember my post about socks, and the importance thereof. Shortly after I wrote that I headed out to a local sporting goods store to find some replacements. I knew I wouldn't find my WrightSocks, but I also had some difficulty finding the right Thorlos. I happened on a clump of Nike socks I thought might work well. I've been wearing them for the last week or so, and I'm happy to report I really, really like them.

They are very helpful, too.

THEY TELL YOU WHICH FOOT TO PUT THEM ON!!!

Seriously, people -- you cannot get more idiot proof than that. Keeping them on the correct feet is meant to keep them from slipping or bunching up. I'll go with that. Also, each of the three pair in the set I bought has a color theme, and that's actually important, too. This ensures--provided you don't lose a lone sock somewhere along the way--that a pair will enjoy equal wear. Very, very clever.

These have really nice padding at the forefoot (most important to me) and at the heel, and some magic weaving of some sort means they hug the arch of the foot, too. I don't have problems with my arches (yet), so I'm hoping this helps stall that for a bit. They also wick well, which means my feet stay nice and dry. For those who don't like a thicker sock, you'd do well to stay away from these, but I find them to be very comfortable. 

I'll be starting my hunt for a new pair of shoes soon in order to get them broken in before the half, but I believe my sock dilemma is solved now.

As for my "broken" Thorlos? I may have to take up arts and crafts. 

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. ~~ Abraham Lincoln




***


Monday, August 8

Total Miles:  4.26
Total Time: 1:05:23
Average Pace: 15:21 per mile

Tuesday, August 9

Total Miles: 3.58
Total Time: 55:51
Average Pace: 15:36 per mile

Wednesday, August 10

Total Miles: 4.38
Total Time: 1:07:55
Average Pace: 15:30 per mile

Thursday, August 11
Rest

Friday, August 12

Total Miles: 4.89
Total Time: 1:13:09
Average Pace: 14:58 per mile

Saturday, August 13

Total Miles: 5.01
Total Time: 1:15:14
Average Pace: 15:01 per mile

Sunday, August 14

Total Miles: 6.88
Total Time: 1:49:24
Average Pace: 15:54 per mile




Check out this week's playlists. There are some truly cool links/videos there this week!
There's a link to it on the right-hand column.

Reflecting and Retooling

So, how much did last week's walking fail miserably?

Perhaps when I tell you that when I got home from my walk Saturday morning I was so discouraged that I lobbed my hydration device past my poor, unsuspecting husband's head so hard that it might have actually left a dent in the back of the Boy Scout Troop Trailer that lives in our driveway you might have a clue what the answer to that question might be. 

And Steve Spurrier himself could take lessons from me in the art of the Visor Toss.

I walked inside the house, sat down, kicked the trash can, then had a big fat ugly sweaty cry.

WHY AM I EVEN BOTHERING???? 

This is so stupid. I'm a Woman of Years. All this "I'm an athlete" thing is such silly bravado. Women a whole lot older than I still look like they are in their 30's because they have always taken great care of themselves, and exercise is something that's always been part of their lives, and they participate in a gazillion race events a year, and know all the lingo and their training logs make mine look so pathetic I'm embarrassed that I ever even put them out there. I'm just a joke.

That's it. I'm done. I'll forget doing the half-marathon and just do the 5K, but only because friends from all the way up in New Jersey have already forked out $$ to be here and participate. 

I ranted. I threw some more stuff. I pouted in the corner like the mature woman I quite obviously am. (I mean, if you go by cellulite and upper arm flap size, I think it's possible I am actually 215 years old.) 

And then I got up Sunday morning, hooked my good old low tech pedometer on my belt, ditched all the music I had downloaded onto my iPod that was designed to help me pick up my pace, and just walked to music that fed my soul in some way, just like I do on all my Sunday strolls.

While I was out there I had an epiphany of sorts. 

When I did the half marathon 2 years ago, it grew out of my just loving to walk. I didn't attempt to train, other than to learn how to stay on my feet for close to that distance without getting bored to death. It just seemed like a cool thing to try. A friend from Michigan flew in and participated with me, and that was neat beyond all reason. 

I pulled a hamstring that day, and continued to be plagued by trouble with it for months. I wanted to do the half again last year, but couldn't. This has been a weird 2011 for me and my family, and somehow doing this half-marathon again got to be SO IMPORTANT, and so much a way of shaking my fist at the various and sundry challenges we've faced, that I lost sight of something pretty fundamental.

I just love walking. 

I am abandoning training for the rest of this month. I'm going to walk for nobody but me, for no reason except that I love it and I feel better for doing it in every way possible.  I'm going to allow my feet to find their own rhythm again. No goals involving distances or times. I'll be tracking them both, and the spreadsheet lives on, but for August, it's just going to be about rediscovering how good it feels just to be out there. 

Nothing to prove. Nothing of which to be ashamed. I was never going to win anything, so I cannot lose. 

When September rolls around I'll have to set some goals, and develop a plan to help make sure I don't bust a gasket out there during that 13.1 mile walk and I'm already looking forward to looking forward to October 1 again. 

*****

Monday, August 1 

Rest Day

Tuesday, August 2

Distance: 3.31 miles

Total Time: 49:57

Pace:  15:05 per mile

Wednesday, August 3

Distance: 3.32 miles

Total Time: 50:09

Pace: 15:06 per mile

Thursday, August 4

No walk 

Friday, August 5

Distance:  4.26 miles

Total Time: 1:02:36

Pace: 14:42 per mile

Saturday, August 6

Distance: 4.46 miles

Total Time: 1:08:06

Pace: 15:16 per mile

< INSERT BOTTLE TOSS AND TEMPER TANTRUM >

Sunday Stroll, August 7

Distance: 5.21 miles

Total Time: 1:25:11

Pace:  16:21 per mile

I was fixin' to post my playlist, too, but I have been invited to my granddaughter's house for supper, so that can wait. I do hope that, if you're hanging in with me on this blog, that you are at least glancing at that running list (see the tab at top that says playlists?).  I have fun putting them up there, along with links to some of my favorites that you might enjoy, too.  

The Toes Know

Here were my numbers from June.

Total Miles: 85.92 

Total Time: 21 hours, 30 minutes

Average Pace: 15:01 minutes/mile

And from July.

Total Miles: 114.23

Total Time: 28 hours, 9 minutes

Average Pace: 14:47 minutes/mile

(This does not include numbers for my Sunday Strolls.)

I'm pretty happy with that. I had hoped for a slightly better average pace, but it's been a month full of blahs and blechs and mental distractions -- and heat. It happens. We press on.

One of the nicest things about "training" for an event that you know you have no expectation of winning, or even winning in your age division, is that there is no pressure except that from within. I did the half-marathon two years ago, and I know that my pace now is better than it ever was in the weeks leading up to it back then. I also know that whatever my pace averages are going into that first Saturday in October, event adrenaline will kick in and my time will be even better.

The best way to insure that I don't overdo between now and then is to make a conscious effort to back off just a hair for a couple weeks, at least. This means I will either be adding another "stroll" day to my plan, or allowing myself an additional day off. I'm in a really good groove right now, and the only thing that can mess me up at this point would be overdoing and risking a stupid overuse injury. 

Like a sore toe. Which I now have, after my walk on Saturday. I know why it happened -- I was trying to work a sock issue out, and made a really, really stupid decision to double up on them. Because my feet swelled from the heat and the distance, the compression that all generated on the great toe on my left foot damaged that nail bed. I know I'm going to lose that nail -- it's happened before, and it's actually quite painless -- and frankly I wish it would just go on and GO so I don't have to baby it anymore. Such an annoyance.

When do you know you've crossed the line from recreational exercise to something more? There are two indications, I am pretty sure.

First -- spreadsheets get involved.

Second -- you seriously begin to consider making your first doctor's visit in over a year just to see what can be done to speed up losing a toenail. 

*****

I've got to start shopping for shoes again. The Asics I bought are fine and comfy, but I'm thinking I need to get another pair soon to begin breaking in for the half. I'm afraid the ones I have right now will be too close to the end of their service, and I really have to tell you that I do not look forward to the process of replacing these. I hate to shop for these things, mainly because while I would appreciate some guidance I cannot abide having a salesperson hover. I'm thinking of trying out Montgomery Multisport , although I'm pretty sure their shoes will be a whole lot fancier and more expensive than anywhere else. On the other hand, if I can get a really great fit in a good shoe I know that will pay off in the end. 

You can write this down in indelible ink:  

If your feet ain't happy, nothing else on your body will be.

***

Monday, July 25

Rest Day

Tuesday, July 26

Total miles: 4.00

Total Time: 58:21

Average Pace: 14:35

Wednesday, July 27

Rest day (unplanned, didn't feel well)

Thursday, July 28

Total Miles: 5.08

Total Time: 1:15:31

Average Pace: 14:52

Friday, July 29

Total Miles: 3.22

Total Time: 49:25

Average Pace: 15:21

Saturday, July 30

Total Miles: 10.07

Total Time: 2:33:58

Average Pace: 15:17

Sunday Stroll, July 31 **

Total Miles: 3.09 miles

Total Time: 50:53

Average Pace: 16:28

** Check out my Sunday Playlist, located at the top of this blog under its own tab.

Running (or at least walking very quickly) Behind!

This was just one of those weeks when my blogging schedule, which has never been exactly set in stone, just got away from me completely.

It was a mixed bag this week for walks. Some went a whole lot better than I thought they might, others were disappointing for no reason I can really figure out. I keep exacting records on all sorts of things that might affect me when I'm out there, and do tons of research and then reflect on what seemed to work well for me and what didn't (and try to keep doing the things that worked!), but there are just some days when you cannot account for lousiness.

As one of my sons is fond of saying, "Whatevs."

Anyway. Let's talk socks.

My favorite socks EVER (thanks to the suggestion of a super athlete friend and her husband in Oregon, who clued me in on these things) are WrightSocks. They are thin, and have a wonderful double thickness that allows for wicking away the sweaties, while the other layer "moves" with the shoe. This nearly eliminates friction, and I have never ever had a blister (even in brand new shoes) nor a hot spot when I've worn them.The only downsides -- and these are pretty significant -- I seem to bust through the area around the great toe pretty quickly and they are not available anywhere locally that I've been able to find. The benefits so outweigh those other issues. They don't come cheap. You have to understand that I'm the sort of person who likes to buy bags o' socks for $4.99, so paying as much for one pair of socks as I usually pay for a haircut is painful.

But honey? When your feet hurt, you just flat can't look pretty, so really -- what's the better investment?

Anyway.

I also love Thorlos socks, which were the very first fancy socks I started using, when my super-athlete friend from New Jersey sent me a pair. They are chunky socks, and took a little getting used to, but since I've had a nagging issue with pain in my forefeet the generous padding is quite helpful, as it keeps me from saying OW with every footfall. They are available locally, but again with the price! Egad.

This past Saturday, on one of my long walks, I felt a little sting on my right heel. It felt like my Thorlos had slipped down my heel, and I knew if I didn't fix it quickly I'd be really, really sorry later. I stopped and reached down to pull it up, and RIPPPPPPPPPPPP  -- it broke!

Well, I had a decision to make, and so I kept walking with a very firm idea in my mind that if I got to a predetermined place down the street a bit and it was still hurting I would stop and take my shoe off and walk home. After all, I am not training for the Olympics or anything, and I'm not really on board with that whole "pain" thing.

Lo and behold, my foot felt fine when I reassessed, so I just kept on pluggin' away until I had put the mileage on that I wanted to claim for Saturday.

Got home, and continued my cool down and hydrating while I ate a banana and checked my e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, AND now Google+.   (It's a good thing nobody actually expects me to be anywhere most of the time.)

Hopped in the shower and ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWIE discovered that I had, if not the mother of all blisters on the back of that foot, at least her ugly stepsister.

It's a good thing I was in the shower. And that nobody else was home. I said things -- loudly -- that might have been misunderstood.

I am glad to say that I doctored it up the best I could, and even took my Sunday Stroll the next morning....

.... in a pair of WrightSocks with hole-y toes.

I thought that was fitting.

***

Monday, July 18

Total Distance: 5.43 miles

Total Time: 1:23:11

Pace: 15:19 per mile

Tuesday, July 19
Rest Day

Wednesday, July 20


Total Distance: 4.48 miles
Total Time: 1:06:25
Pace: 14:50 per mile

Thursday, July 21


Total Distance: 4.82 miles
Total Time: 1:11:17
Pace: 14:47 per mile

Friday, July 22
Rest Day

Saturday, July 23


Total Distance: 10.3 miles
Total Time: 2:25:34
Pace: 14:08 per mile

Sunday Stroll, July 24  


Total Distance: 3.3 miles
Total Time: 54:18
Pace: 16:27 per mile


***

I have really begun to love doing these Sunday Strolls again. I have decided that they are training for my future. Surely there will be races in years to come that still need balloon ladies to bring up the rear, right?

The balloon lady from last year's half-marathon.

Check out the Sunday play list page if you can. I really have a lot of fun finding links to some of my favorite stuff from these walks. This is off my random iTunes stuff: I'm trying to whittle it down to make it more manageable, and there are always a few that I find myself happily deleting when I'm done. There are also always a few that I have heard a thousand times, but to which I have not really listened in a long time, and that's the most fun part. 

I'd love it if you'd let me know you dropped in, and I hope you'll pass this blog along to anyone you think might be interested!  

By the way..... if either the WrightSock or Thorlos people 

wish to set me up in socks for life, please know this....

I can be bought. 

Jo Dee Messina and Me

I will walk early in the morning.

I will walk in the heat.

I will walk in the cold.

But I won't walk in the wet.

When I started my concerted efforts as a walker I always walked in the afternoons after work, because I am not a morning person. It got really, really hot that first summer I was doing this, though, and I was forced to make a decision: quit walking outside, do all my walking on a treadmill in an air-conditioned place, or get up earlier and walk before it got truly horrid.

I did the treadmill thing at our local Y's Up for a while and found it interesting in its own way but an utter bore. It also made it way too easy to quit before I got over that "hump" where you think you have nothing left, and then find that, indeed, you do. When you are out in the neighborhood walking, you kind of have to keep going to get home, and while needing to have that reason to keep going might be seen as a crutch I'm unapologetic about needing to have it. 

Another test of my resolve came this winter. Last winter, if the morning temperatures were 45 or below, I did not go outside to walk. I would head to the treadmills. This winter we had to give up our membership to the Y when my husband lost his job, so I was faced with another decision: quit walking until spring, or suck it up, layer like the world depended on it, and get out there and try.

And I did. And I discovered I love love love walking in the cold weather. I went out one morning when it was 19 degrees, and did decide that 20 would my personal cut-off point, though.  I have the ugliest compression/warm pants in the history of textiles and when I put those and my other cold weather layers on I feel like an Arctic Warrior. I also discovered that I don't really care what I look like when I'm out there since I don't have to see myself. Why it took me 53 years to hit on that bit of brilliance I will never understand.

So yesterday morning when I discovered it was a bit misty outside I thought about ditching but decided to give it a go and was surprised to find I was quite disappointed when it stopped. I got home and began polling friends who are serious about this stuff about what they do when it's raining outside -- what clothes? what precautions?  This would all be helpful to know in case there is rain on on October 1, because one thing I have learned for sure and certain is brilliance of this motto:

PLAN YOUR WORK AND WORK YOUR PLAN.

~~ My Daddy

I spent free time yesterday Googling for answers, tips, suggestions, and as I went to bed last night, with the suggestion of rain in the morning forecast, I began to channel Sister Jo Dee Messina....

And guess what?

A light drizzle does not exactly a rain make, but it was more than a mist, and it got ambitious a time or two and teetered on the fence of true wetness. It lasted the entire time I was out, and I was pretty wet when I got home. I did not melt, and now I find myself hoping for a real rain, just to test myself up against it.

I never seem to stop having to learn the lesson that when I change my can't to won't I give myself the opportunity to go from won't to might was well try all the way to yes, I do. 

***

Yesterday's Walk 

Total Distance: 8.11 miles

Total Time: 2:00:53

Pace: 14:54 per mile 

Today's Walk

Total Distance: 2.89 miles

Total Time: 47:12

Pace: 16:20 per mile

** Check out the tab for my Sunday Stroll playlists! **

Bat Wings and Mockingbirds

I took a day off from walking yesterday to make sure that the issues from Wednesday were fully resolved. It's important to take a day off from almost any exercise endeavor at least once a week, and if you are really pushing the limits, two days isn't unheard of.

I don't push the limits. I generally take one off day a week - sometimes planned, sometimes just because - and I usually allow one day for just enjoying a leisurely walk. If you are really good at listening to your body, and you need to work on that all the time, by the way, you'll know when and why is right for you.

My day begins when my iPhone alarm goes off at 5:15. I scramble for it, and hit the weather icon to see what's what out there. Depending on what I see (Raining? Too hot? Too cold?) I decide whether to ignore it and go back to sleep, or spring out of bed when the I'm Serious About This alarm sounds again at 5:25.

Well, this morning, I peeked at the weather and it said 71 degrees and overcast, and I couldn't wait to get out there. The rain we've had these last few day - yippee! - had worked to make things more bearable out there.

Of course, when I got out of bed when the second alarm went off, feeling certain this would be the best morning out of the whole year so far, I glanced at the icon again, and realized it was 77 degrees.

Perhaps those of us who require reading glasses to tie their shoes need a weather app 

that reads the temperature to us. Aloud. Very, very aloud.

I sighed a deep sigh, and got all ready to go out anyway, and although it was that hot there were some wonderfully cool breezes that whipped up just often enough to make things bearable. Between the overcast skies and those little grace notes, it was a good walk.

Oh. The Bat Wings and Hummingbirds.

There were a whole boatload of people out this morning walking and/or running, most of whom were of the feminine persuasion, none of whom could shop in the junior department without somebody rolling their eyes at us. To all of us, I say GO GIRL!, but also this.....

... when those breezes began to blow, we were all so in need of some relief you began to see us lifting our arms to take full advantage, sort of like you see mockingbirds do?.

... except we did it with our bat wings.

******

Today's Walk

Distance: 5.67 miles

Total Time: 1:20:44

Average Pace: 14:14 per mile

(Intervals.... jogged a total of 10:30)