Cleveland Marathon Recap

Marathon #5 has come and gone, where is time going these days?

After a fun weekend in Cleveland (Weekend in Pictures--here),

it was finally time...Marathon morning.

I've said before, I am really bad about getting up in the morning and usually require multiple alarms.  I believe I had 10 set for yesterday morning, and also had John set a few on his phone. But of course, my nerves got me up around 3 and I laid there freaking out staring at the ceiling until my first set alarm went off. Shower, food, and trying to relax in compression gear while I chugged my cold coffee.  Stared at the city lights, fine tuned my playlist, and got myself ready slowly but surely.

Boston Tribute Ribbon #BostonStrong

The outfit (All Saucony)

Kinvara 4 Sneakers

Ignite Singlet (Not shown here) 

Spark Bra

Ignite Tight Shorts (4")

Kinvara Running Socks

Speed-Run Visor (Thanks @SauconyRacing!)

Gear (Not shown)

Road ID

Garmin 405

Black/Hot Pink Spibelt

Sunglasses

Ipod

Around 5:15 we made our way to Cleveland Browns Stadium where the start/finish was.

A million few bathroom stops, bag check, gearing up and it was finally time to get to the start.

My man and I before the race :)

At 6:15 I made my way to the start and found a place to stand for 45 minutes. Actually there was no standing, there was pacing back and forth, random stretching, and bobbing my head to tunes trying to zone out. Ate a handful of Bits, drank some water and continued pacing.

A race photographer asked if he could take my picture, I said sure knowing this was probably the only race photo I would be smiling in. 

As the start got closer I watched the crowds of people filter in...all 22,000 people...there were no starting corrals, just flags for paces (because people are so good at following those...). A man lined up next to me, who was about 400 pounds and sounded like he was a pack-a-day guy for 30 years. Now I am happy this man chose to take up something like running to get into a healthy lifestyle, but he damn well knows he wouldn't be running anything close to the paces he was standing at. The paces are there for a reason, to allow everyone to get into a groove quicker and run a smoother race. 

Finally it was time to go, and I stood facing a wall. It was the worst bottleneck start (combined with no seeded corrals), I literally walked across the start line because I couldn't go anywhere (I'm sure my rage was apparent). I didn't take a running step until at least 50 feet after the start line, and it was a ways after that before I was able to get into a groove.

Cleveland Source

The First 13

It was about 65 at the start, but cloudy with a breeze so it was pretty comfortable. I knew even before the race I was going to ditch my tank top early on, luckily I saw John around mile 2 and was able to pass it off. I wasn't sure of my plan for the race so I decided to just kind of go with the flow pace wise. I found a comfortable pace and kind of stuck in that range. The miles rolled on, and I even took time to look around and enjoy some great views of the city going over the bridges. I high-fived every kid I could on the side, this made me really happy. The roads were packed, because we had the half marathoners with us at the time. Around mile 12, a girl in the half started chatting with me, telling me it was her first half. I encouraged her and told her she was doing awesome, she worried she was fading though. I told her I would push her for a bit (until the course splits), she gave me a big smile and we pushed forward...hence the faster mile for 13. At this point my watch was consistently off on the mile markers. So I was either running really bad about tangents or course was off...I'm assuming shitty tangents on my part.

7:50,7:35,7:52,7:48,7:46,7:39,7:42,7:42,7:45,7:42,7:40,7:40,7:16
notable thoughts during this time: your welcome dude (as the man next to me stared awkwardly as I stripped my tank top off while running), pshh I wasn't even getting paid for the semi-adult entertainment I was providing. Cheap bastard.

14,15,16

Somewhere around mile 10, I realized I had to pee, it wasn't too bad so I figured it would just go away. Around 14 it got worse but at this point I was still thinking "If I can pick up a little bit and hold it, I can PR", so I decided to press on. Finally around 15.5 I knew I couldn't hold it. I saw a port-o-potty coming up at a water stop in the distance, so I started loosening up my spi-belt, moved my Ipod clip, and got myself as ready as possible while still running. I saw someone come out of it right as I was coming up so I knew it was empty. I lost about a minute so I could pee (this affected mile 15 &16 times), came out and re-situated my gear while running. I tried to settle back into my pace, but was discouraged when I saw that the 3:25 pace group had caught up to me. Mentally this was hard, I pushed forward trying not to let them get ahead of me. 7:29,7:41,8:17
notable thoughts during this time: I legitimately considered peeing my pants so I wouldn't have to stop. Thank goodness for common sense kicking in. 

17,18,19,20

Mentally and physically these miles were hard. I was still trying to hold off the 3:25 pace group, and I hit the point I knew I wasn't going to PR. It felt like Tonya Harding took out my knees and I had to ignore the pain as best I could. The heat cranked up during this time, and I spent a few seconds at each water stop drinking, dumping water on me, and dancing in the hoses that kids were spraying at runners. I am really not sure who enjoyed it more, the kids who got to spray people or the runners who basked in the cold water. Some of these miles were down hill and through a wooded area so there was shade which was a huge help. I started doing math in my head, knowing I couldn't PR but also knowing it would be my second fastest hands down.

7:33,7:37,7:26,7:21
notable thoughts during this time: WTF I am 25 my knees aren't supposed to hurt like this, marathons suck, I wonder if they'd mind if I just sit on the ground and let them keep the hose spraying at me for the next 15 minutes. oh and I wonder if the owner of that road-killed cat knows it's missing?

Cleveland Source

21-23

Physically I was feeling okay, but mentally I was struggling. I hadn't seen John since mile 5 (Which was expected...he was following his brother around on the bike as his brother was trying to BQ, so I wasn't planning on seeing him a ton), but I knew that since it had been so long that something was up. I didn't need to see him at this point, but I wanted to...just give me a little boost to get through last few miles. Around 21.5 there he was, my knight in red&black on his bike. I yelled his name and he stopped and waved and as I passed he said "They aren't far ahead of you". I knew what this meant, as much as I didn't want it to be the case. Around 22 I caught up to John's brother David and his GF Katie (she ran the last 10 miles with him). I contemplated staying with them, I have my BQ & I knew I wasn't going to PR. But then I knew that he wouldn't want me to do that, so I said "hi" and carried on. The sun was brutal at this point, no clouds, no shade, no wind...just a hot road (my feet were on fire through my shoes) and the sun blazing down. I stood for a good 30 seconds under a hose at a water stop around 23, I didn't care...I needed it.

7:25, 7:38, 8:04
notable thoughts during this time: damn my man has a nice rear on that bike, am I an asshole for passing my soon to be brother in law?, I wonder if there will be ice cream at the finish?

24-26

I did something I hate having to do, but I knew was smart. I walked. Not a lot, but I walked a few times, and stopped at hoses/water stops a few times. My mind was getting "foggy", and I knew I needed to try and cool down, I couldn't replace the fluids/salt as fast as I was losing them. Around mile 25 the 3:25 pace group finally caught me and I didn't care. I watched them get further away and thought, it's another marathon, I'm still going to finish with a solid time, but I want to finish on my feet, not on a stretcher. I'm not saying I would have passed out had I not walked, but I knew those walk breaks/water stops were the smart thing to do, I had nothing to gain by not doing it.

8:06,8:46,8:41
notable thoughts during this time: I'm really bad at doing math while running, why is that girl running with a sucker in her mouth, did her mother teach her nothing! Sucker will not beat me.

Final Push

Instead of finishing 0.2 miles, I finished 0.5 miles after mile 26. Like I said, I just assume it was my shitty tangent running. At about 25.5 I said to myself "no more breaks" and just started running. Picked off a few girls, cranked up the tunes and pushed forward. The last 2 turns were nice, there was a lot of people, and very loud drums with a beat that forced you to finish strong. 

The last 0.5 was at 7:10 pace.
notable thoughts during this time: finish strong, don't get passed, ohhhh I see chocolate milk must run faster!

The clock said 3:26:10 as I crossed. 

I did it, marathon #5 and my second fastest.

My watch said 26.5 miles in 3:25:38 which would be 7:46 average.

According to my Garmin data, my "moving time" was 3:23 so that's almost 3 minutes of peeing, and standing under hoses...oh well. 

Chip time gave me 7:51 average, solid.
Happy with my placing...especially for such a big race.

Thoughts

Am I happy with my time?

You bet, its my second fastest marathon and considering this wasn't my be-all-end-all goal race this year, I can't complain. Another BQ under my belt, Boston 2014 you will be mine.

Am I disappointed I didn't go sub-3:20?

Yep, there were a few points I thought I could do it yesterday, but I'm not going to beat myself up. I didn't train to run sub 3:20 this time. Hell, I personally don't even think I trained to run what I did. Not every race is going to be a PR, and that's okay it gives me something to work for. I ran smart and strong and I can't diminish that success with "what if's". This makes me excited for Wineglass Marathon in the fall, I have good goals to work for. 

I was overwhelmed with support leading up to the race and even more so after. Between texts, twitter, and Facebook it was huge to see so many kind words. I love this community of runners, I love my family & friends and I love my fiance who is always there to support me. 

Big congrats to Jamie and her husband Mike. Jamie ran this as her 2nd marathon and beat her goal by over 10 minutes, and this was her hubby's 1st time finishing a full and on a brutally hot day! The 2 of them also used the marathon to raise money for Project R12, you can still donate to their efforts here.

Thoughts on the race itself:

Very well run, and they were well prepared for the heat

(good amount of water stops, hoses frequently, lots of cold stuff at finish)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE start doing seeded corrals. Way too many people not to.

Crappy road conditions, lots of post holes and many sections of running through roads under construction (exposed pipes in the road...come on people)

Great volunteers/spectators, amazing signs and cheering crowds. A little scarce in second half (as expected) but the ones that were there, were great.

A special thanks to all the kids/adults that were in charge of spraying hoses.

 I can't tell you how much that helped. 

Loved having pre/post race at the stadium, no shortage of space or bathrooms. 

(Only thing I would say about this is don't put bag check on top floor on far side of stadium...getting up there after finishing was rough (even with escalators))

Love the medal

 Oh, and for your viewing pleasure....

No officer, I didn't drink a very large blue slushie on the way back to the hotel from the race.
What are you talking about, what blue tongue?

Thanks for all of the well wishes and support :)

I'm excited to be volunteering for 2 races this week, 

I know how much volunteers and spectators made a difference yesterday and I am happy to be giving some love back!

Commuting/Adventure Running

Happy Friday!

How about something fun today?

Fun running/adventure running/running commute.

So the other day I did something I hadn't done before.

Well, sort of.

I ran to the gym, and to the store, and then home.

It was a SHORT running adventure/commute, but a good one none the less.
Hey you gotta start somewhere,

And a great way to do a taper run :)

I've ran to places before instead of driving, but never where I had to wear a backpack. It was a nice day and I needed to run on top of my other workouts so it seemed like a fun idea. I wanted to bike & swim at the gym so I had to pack my suit, goggles, towel, hair brush, swim cap, lap counter and water bottle at bare minimum. So I dug out my Camelbak hiking backpack. I packed my gear and made sure to wear something running that I would be okay spinning in as well (that way I didn't have to pack something else to wear).

A few years ago I read 50/50 about Dean Karnazes. It's about his journey to running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days (overachiever, I know...right?). Actually I really liked the book and took a lot of things from it. Where I am going with this though, is I remember at one point him talking about how he will just go for adventures running with his backpack. Bring his phone and wallet and that way if his wife or kids need him to pick up something at the grocery store he could. I remember thinking, running is MY time NOT errand time. But now looking back, I'm like well there might be something to that.

So when I packed my bag I threw in my phone and ID (even though I had my RoadID on my wrist), I also threw in some cash and my debit card just in case (this will come in handy later). I even took a plastic Wegmans water bottle (empty) put it in my bag knowing I could fill it up at gym, but it wouldn't weigh me down on the way there. I remember thinking, Dean would be proud.

 I got the pack on, made sure straps were adjusted and ready to go. 

I did text Hollie and told her what I was doing, that way someone knew my plan.

Sorry for the craptastic pictures, best I could do....and yes I am not wearing matching socks, that's normal for me though.

I got myself ready, took some ENERGYbits, 

chugged some good old H2O and I was ready.

Pre-commuting/adventure run.

 I quickly found out that the backpack was seriously going to affect my form. I wasn't worried about pace, but I worried how comfortable this was going to be. The pack didn't bother me at first, other than the fact that I knew people must be staring at me because I felt like I was running very awkwardly. Kind of like this....

Okay anyways. I ran the 3.72 miles to the gym in 30:15 (8:07 pace) which was surprising considering it felt MUCH slower. My only issue on the way there, was that one of the backpack straps kept riding up and rubbing against my neck. But I made it.

When I got to the gym I quickly signed in, and went to change into my swim suit. I got in the pool (for the first time in a few weeks...I've been slacking...please feel free to yell at me about this), and I felt good. Laps went by smooth and steady paced...then...my goggle strap snapped. $%&@. And that was that. This one had snapped before and I had already jerry-rigged it once so I knew I couldn't do that again. So my 1500 yard swim went to 500 yard swim with the snap of a strap.

I said whatever, and changed back into my other clothes and hit the spin bike. Jamming to my tunes and keeping my cadence high. I'm trying to coast less outside so I wanted to focus on keeping my feet always moving on the spin bike and getting used to that cadence more. The spin bike is good tool for getting used to high cadence.

 I was getting my sweat on....then a man in a pink Hollister shirt got on the bike next to me. Dude really? See that blue post it on his screen...it had TWO words on it. Weights & cycle. He couldn't remember those TWO words or the order they went in? Anyways. He proceeded to furiously spin and shake his sweaty mop head of hair everywhere for 30 seconds then stop and cough trying to catch his breath. I amused myself by watching him try and do this for a while.

This is the best I could get. Haha. 

 Okay, enough about meat heads. I did 60 minutes on the bike (22.9 miles) and was ready to head home. I grabbed my stuff and walked outside to find it sprinkling rain (my favorite!) it felt so good and refreshing, unfortunately it only lasted a few minutes. My legs were not moving quick and my backpack was still bugging my neck but I put one foot in front of the other and loosened up as I went. I had to pass Fleet Feet on the way home. I remembered that it was "Diva Day" (Women's specials and sales) and was planning on going later, but I figured "why not" so I stopped running and went in the store. (Run from Gym to FF was 2 miles in 16:29[8:15 ave.]).

Had a nice chat with the fella's in Fleet feet. One of the guys noticed my spiffy Kinvara 4's and asked me how I liked them. I said...well this is my 7th pair of Kinvara's so what do you think? He laughed and I proceeded to tell him how much I love these shoes and how well they have worked for me. Nice people there, I tell ya. Of course I had to buy something while I was in there (duh). So I got a nice new shirt and even bought myself a new pair of socks for the marathon next weekend. (I'll actually wear matching socks for the race, only because they didn't have these in 2 different colors for me to get...true story).

So I put my stuff in my backpack and continued home. 1.71 miles in 13:32 (7:54 pace). I was happy to finish stronger than I started, especially considering there was a swim and bike in the middle.

I know this was a short running commute/adventure but it was a good experience. I really liked running around and not having to fight traffic to get places. Like I said, I have run places before but not where I needed a backpack. If I were to do this again, I'd need a running backpack that won't give me a literal 'redneck'. I do like the concept though, it was a great way to get a workout in and run errands. I live close enough to so many things that I could see myself doing this more often if I had the right gear for it.

This was a fun and different way to get a run in. Planning fun routes is a good way to get runs in and not be so monotonous. Normally my 'fun runs' are runs with friends (thank goodness I get to run with Hollie all weekend!!!), but I feel like I could make more fun routes for solo runs if I do them this way. This was also a really good way to break up the boredom of taper running.

I wanna try doing a longer version of this sometime, maybe just spend a day running around and seeing how far I can get. No, this doesn't mean I want to do an Ultra ANYTIME soon. I just want a damn adventure :)

Do you do running commutes?

Have you ever used a running backpack?

(If so, any suggestions for good ones?)

Oh, and in case you need a pick-me-up, watch this video about 2 Boston brothers who were separated after the bombing (both lost limbs) and reunited weeks later. Amazing. #BostonStrong

Video here

Gear inventory

With Race season pretty much here now, it's time to make sure everything is in order.

Yesterday I took a Mental Inventory and today is all about the gear. 

Best way to start the season is make sure you have everything you need, 

and everything is in working safe condition.

(This is my gear, in no way shape or form am I saying you need all of this, or any of this.

Nor was I sponsored by any of the brands, I simply love the stuff that I use and I don't mind telling you that.)

Electronics
I.pod (charger at the ready, headphones in working order, playlists updated)
Garmin 405 (Charger at the ready, clear out data so there is plenty of room)
Heart Rate strap (Make sure battery is replaced, make sure it's cleaned off regularly)
[For cleaning heart rate straps, it's recommended to remove module from strap, hand wash with cold water(with small amount mild soap), lay flat to dry]

Recommended to wash HR strap every 7 uses, lord knows that thing gets sweaty!

SHOES (MY FAVORITE THINGS...)

Okay, it's no secret I love +Saucony and particularly the Kinvara's. I talk about them all the time, and I truly believe they are an amazing shoe. They work great for me, and I haven't tried anything else since I started wearing these a few years ago. 7 pairs later, and I am still in love.

Guess who came home with me yesterday(a week early!)! Kinvara 4!
My new kicks, this is pair #7 of the +Saucony Kinvara's
Yes, I made sure they made it home safe,
& then wore them around the house all night. (Don't judge me!)

This is 5 of the 7 pairs I have owned of Kinvara's.
Orange and purple in back are Kinvara 2
Pink & purple in middle are Kinvara 3
Purple in front are my new Kinvara 4.
[The dearly departed..aka pairs 1&2 were blue,
they were retired to general use, and have since been laid to rest(RIP)]

 Okay, okay you get the point. I love my Kinvara's and I have an addiction to them. (good thing is, they don't make a Kinvara anonymous...yet.) 

Back to shoes in my gear line right now...this is my current rotation of sneakers...

 From top to bottom...

Kinvara 4 (current miles...0..that changes tonight!)

My hope is to get these broken in soon 

so I can have them ready to run in Cleveland in a few weeks.

Kinvara 3 Purple (current miles ~200)

I love these, but for some reason had a hard time 

feeling as comfy in these as my other pairs.

Currently using these for majority of my runs

Kinvara 3 Pink/Silver (current miles ~430)

Although they have high miles, 

I am having a REALLY hard time letting these ones go.

These have been my favorite sneakers by far.

And it doesn't hurt that I BQ'd in these.

Currently only using these for short runs, 

or when it's crappy outside.

Also in my gear line that I would like to point out,
are my Nike Comfort sandals. These are a staple in my race bag.
They're squishy memory foam so your foot gets cushion.
One of the first things I do after a race, is but these on.
They offer more support than a flip-flip, and help sore feet!

Yes I have other shoes for working out, some cross trainers for the gym and such, but I figure I'd focus on my running stuff since it's going into race season. If you're curious about what other ones I have just ask!


Cycling

My biggest piece of gear for cycling....clearly...my bike!
You all know how excited I was when I got my bike on Easter weekend, I'm still excited.

I have a Silver Felt ZW100 which I purchased at Towpath Bike (If you're in Rochester area, I highly recommend going there, superb!) This is a good time of year to go get a tune-up and fitting to make sure your bike is properly functioning for you.

Another piece of gear shown here is my bike rack. You can't see it well but its a black hunk of metal with some foam pieces (not to scratch the car) that holds the bike in place. This comes in handy getting my bike to places! (Without pedaling!) I also have a few small bungee cords to help hold the wheels in place while driving.

Bell bike pack, and Gel seat cover, both important!
In my bike pack is spare tubes, cash, tire levers, multi-tool etc.

I love my Bontrager helmet! Ponytail spot in the back is the best!

Also made sure to check my other cycling gear: gloves, extra tubes, tools, chain breaker, water bottle holder, water bottle, hand pump attached to my frame, bike shorts (padding in the bum, best.invention.ever)

Swim Gear

I don't have a ton of swim gear...yet.

Wet suit is in the works. (let me know if you have one that you love that I should look into!)
Goggles ( I have like 3 pairs, different brands...looking into getting a pair of open water ones)
Swimsuit (I have 2 speedos, that are older but in good shape)
Caps (I have a few, even a blue floral one for when I am feeling bubbly, people give me looks with this one.)
Lap counter (This is my favorite piece of swim gear)



Other Gear

My favorite Sunglasses in action
for my HM PR in 2012

Headbands: because seriously, it matters! (especially when you are like me and growing your hair out! I really like Sweatybands and BAMR bands, I have a few of each and they stay in place and look cute!)
Handheld water bottle: I have a Nathan Quickdraw handheld, and Camelback Quickgrip. Both are great and do their job. (both also have handy little pockets on them.
RoadID: Great safety gear, worth every penny.
Headlight: I have a princeton tech one, only used it a few times.
Belts: I have a Nathan belt, spibelt, and a race bib belt.
Sunglasses: These are important! I have a few pairs I am capable of running comfortably in. 1 is a gas station pair but they work fine. My favorite are my Ironman brand sport glasses from Target.

Compression gear: when training, this is important to have. I have Zensah calf sleeves, Smartwool compression socks, and Vitalsox.
Safety Pins: yes this is gear, yes this is very important gear. Have spares, never trust a race to have enough.
Sunblock: Because, sunburn sucks.
Epsom Salts: I never have less than a pound of this at a time. (don't eat them though, or you'll go cray cray)
"Vitamin I" aka Ibuprofen: ALWAYS have this on hand. (Hence why I refer to it as a vitamin. haha, it's not really one, I do know that.)
Bulk Fuel: I buy my Clifshot blocks and honeystingers in bulk. saves you moolah, and you're never gonna run into race day issue of not having it.

Don't come between me & my foam.
[And dude my hair is finally getting longer!]

Good socks: I never used to believe in this. But then I tried some amazing Saucony & Mizuno socks, and I stopped getting toe blisters. Haven't looked back since.
Foam Roller aka My best friend: I'm not sure how I survived without this before I got mine a few years ago. It's a cheapo Gold's Gym one but it does the job. I spend QT with it every night, I should probably name it. Hmm... Suggestions?
Body Glide: As a woman with no gap between my thighs, let me tell you...this is a necessity.
Massage Therapist: I have one I go see regularly. She rocks. Helps prevent problems before they happen.
A Back Cracker:  this is my Fiances job, he does it very well. I should pay him more. (paid with reeces and kisses)
A smart person: someone who knows more than you do about your event, someone you feel comfortable asking stupid questions to. This is important for people like me, who are more than stupid when it comes to this triathlon stuff.
Hat/Visor: My saucony running hats are my favorite, I have blue and purple. I also have a black Nike visor that works well for running.
Arm Sleeves: great for racing when you don't know what the weather is going to do. Easy to pull off/pass off if it warms up! I have a few different colors/material ones, some warmer than others.

I won't even get into my "workout clothes" because...that would take...FOREVER. 

Let's just say... I could clothe all of the athletes in the Olympics...twice.

As I get ready for race season, it was good to go through my gear.

See what I have, what I need, and what I want.

Also good time to clean everything and organize it all.

[I use tall sets of plastic drawers so everything is in one place]

Last thing you want to do is be unprepared on race day.

I've totally forgotten things before, 

and kicked myself for it multiple times!

Questions:

What gear do you HAVE TO HAVE?

Have you ever forgotten something big for a race?

Do you have any rituals for when race season starts?

(Inventories, gear checks, meals etc?)

Athletes Packing List

As I prepare for a mini-vacation I look at my packing list, I realize that more than half of it is to support my running/athlete habits. I think I would be more upset if I forgot one of these items than anything else, I know I am not the only runner or athlete who thinks about this while preparing for trips! Typical vacation stuff can be bought if forgotten, you aren't going to go buy a new Garmin, or charging cord, or some other athletic gear items, so you don't want to forget them! This is geared for a vacation and not a running specific trip like a race (yes there is a different packing list for that in my mind, most is the same but there are other considerations for races).

A few things to consider while packing for a trip you will be active on:


Clothing Considerations
Pack for the climate you are heading to (weather reports can be viewed for a day, a weekend, look at the hourly as well to plan ahead, that way you can be prepared for the entire trip!), but also pack at least one "just in case outfit", for instance I'll be heading to Florida and the weather is supposed to be over 75 the entire time, but I'll still pack a long pair of running capris or pants, as well as a long sleeve top I am comfortable running in, just in case. This eliminates the chance of you using "I wasn't prepared for that weather" excuse, when you don't get a workout in. The general rule of thumb is "pack for weather 20 degrees warmer than anticipated, and 20 degrees colder than anticipated". Another thing to make sure is to anticipate activities you might be doing on your trip, might get a bike ride or a swim in since it will be nice, be prepared for those things so you won't have to sit out on the sidelines if you don't have the right stuff packed. The other "just in case" thing I like to do is pack an extra outfit. I am planning on running 3-4 times while we are gone, but Ill pack for 5 workouts just in case, maybe one of the days will turn into a double, maybe on that last day I'll want one more run on the beach before returning to the cold snowy tundra of New York.....don't get caught unprepared, you'll kick yourself for it!



Gear Considerations
Just like clothing, your gear needs to be appropriate for the climate and environment that you are in. Whether you will be running roads or trails, running in heat or cold, well lit areas or in need of some light, best to be prepared for anything so pack smart. One big tip, Don't forget the chargers for electronics, easy thing to overlook but not as easy to replace!

My Gear for 5 Days in Florida

• Garmin & Garmin Charger 
• Body Glide (heat can create problems, lets limit that!)
• Nathan Handheld water bottle (I haven't run in heat in a while, hydrating will be key)
• I.pod, headphones and Charger
• Swim lap counter (just in case)
• Swim goggles
• Spi.belt 
• Clif Shot blocks (strawberry is my favorite!!)
• Saucony Kinvara 3's (Duh. we all know I am OBSESSED!)
• Biofreeze roll on
• Running hat/visor
• Compression Socks
• Sport sweat/waterproof sunscreen
• My favorite running sunglasses
• Band-aids & Moleskin (just in case of blisters from running in the heat)
• Swim Cap
• Ibuprofen 
• Hair ties/bobbi pins and headbands to keep hair tame while working out (ladies, we all know this can be a challenge!)
• Road ID (if it's the interactive one, make sure your online profile is up to date)---[look what just came in the mail, my NEW Road ID ;) super stoaked!]

• 
  

Other Considerations
Besides checking the weather and planning workouts for the trip, a good thing to do is be prepared with routes. Using sites like Dailymile and MapMyRun or RunningAhead, plan some routes out so you know where you will be going running and/or cycling in a new area. Also, if you are visiting people you know or are a member of a site which has local athletes, talk to people from the area to find out good places to run, and places you might want to avoid. You can't always tell these things from looking at a map online, you want to be prepared as possible and safe as possible running in new territory. The other side of this is that locals might know some great places off the beaten path for you to run, or some great routes that offer well maintained terrain and cool views!

Road ID

I finally broke down and bought a Road ID, something I should have done a long time ago. I will review it and add it to my gear list when it arrives, but in the meantime I want to share the love, and pass on a coupon code for you to get your own Road ID. When you get to order and check out at Road ID use the coupon code: ThanksLaura22239457

Short post, but hey you get a coupon code out of it! Stay safe out there friends.