Training Supplement – January 31, 2017

I tried some nutritional products from my Strideboxes but didn’t love any of them.  I bought some socks to cover my ankles during the winter weather.  I also ordered some shoes that should arrive in a few days.

Clothing & Gear

Socks.  Feetures Elite Merino+ Cushion Quarter ($16.99).  All of my socks are low cut.  After the sub-freezing temperature days, I thought some coverage for my ankles would be nice.  I bought the right size – medium since my shoe size is 8 – but they fit a little big.  They didn’t feel much warmer, though.  I also purchased the Merino+ Light Cushion Quarter, which seems to be out of stock, in small.  They were snug but fine.  And, they actually did feel a little warmer.

Are you picky about your socks?

Shoes.  I purchased a few pair of shoes this weekend after feeling like my feet were beat up during last Saturday’s long run – Brooks Pure Flow 6, Brooks Launch 4, and Saucony Ride 9.  They should arrive in the next few days and I can’t wait to try them out.

Visibility wear. Nathan Mag Strobe.  Much like the StrobeLight LED Clip, I can clip this on whatever clothing I’m wearing on a run.  The regular strobe flops around a bit when clipped to the back of a jacket collar, but this stays flat.

(My Complete Clothes & Gear Page.)

Nutrition & Hydration

Nutrition. Sports Beans Extreme.  I received two packets of Sports Beans in my October 2016 Stridebox.  I ate them on a recent medium run.  They were tasty but I could tell there was a lot of caffeine in them.  They had the tale-tell chalky and bitter taste that distinguished them from true jelly beans.  The package has 50mg of caffeine, which was too much for me – I had a major crash after my run – but it might be fine for some.

Gu Chews.  I got these in my December 2016 Stridebox.  I grabbed them for my long run a couple weeks ago.  They were fine.  I didn’t think they were any better or worse than other chews I’ve had.  It’s 90 calories per sleeve.

Post-workout Nutrition.  PR Bar.  Two of these bars came in my January 2017 Stridebox.  I ate one of them after a run when I didn’t have time to make a good breakfast.  I enjoyed it.  The bar has 15g of protein and is all natural.

Routes

Hazards.  It’s been a cornucopia of running headaches lately.  In addition to road closures on Hains Point during The Inauguration and downtown for the Women’s March, I’ve navigated around the ongoing construction on the Four Mile Run Trail and a brief project on the Custis Trail this past week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media & Motivation

Music. “Play That Song,” by Train.  It’s been a while since I purchased any new music.  I bought this one on Saturday and have been listening to it almost non-stop since then.

(My “Songs of the Week” playlist on Spotify.)

Podcasts.  Lanni Marchant – Your Body is Your Equipment, RunnersConnect.  This episode was an interesting discussion of female athletes and body image.  Listening to it, I wondered how pervasive this issue is and felt fortunate that I came to the sport as an adult.

Motivation.  “To uncover your true potential you must first find your own limits and then you have to have the courage to blow past them.” – Picabo Street

I pushed myself beyond what I thought was possible during several workouts these past few weeks.

Have you pushed your limits recently?  How did it go?