Training Supplement – September 1, 2018
I missed the second “supplement” for August, so this post is longer than usual.
I bought the Garmin 645! My replacement Jaybird X3 Wireless Headphones died, so my pursuit for a good pair of wireless headphones continues. Pace the Nation, one of my favorite podcast, said “Adieu” for the summer. Construction on the Custis Trail wrapped up just as work along the Four Mile Trail started. Establishing better eating habits this summer was made easier with apps. Finally getting rid of sports bras that have had too many birthdays. And, my music selections were soulful.
Clothing & Gear
Garmin Forerunner 645 Music. I adore my Garmin Forerunner 610 but after misplacing it or allowing the battery to run low, I thought I needed a back-up. I read DC Rainmaker’s review and made the purchase. I’ve only been running with it for about a week but so far, I really like it. It works the same as my 610 but buttons instead of a touch-screen. It has sensors that monitor heart rate through the wrist, which eliminates the need to wear a chest strap. There are various watch faces on Connect IQ but I chose a pre-loaded ones. I haven’t tried the music functionality on a run, but from the comfort of my couch it works.
Sports Bras. Brooks Juno Sports Bra. There’s an expression – likely created by running apparel manufacturers – that a sports bra shouldn’t see a birthday. Radically, I’ve been wearing the same eight Under Armour bras for about ten years now. I’ve struggled to find one that fits comfortably. Having tried a few lately (including the Brooks Maia Bra the Lululemon TaTa Tamer III. and the Lululemon Enlite Bra), the Brooks Juno Racerback Sports Bra is shaking out to be my favorite. I purchased a new one and tossed two of my old UAs.
Weather Stations. Brookstone 5-Day Weather Forecaster. Is this running gear? Probably not. But, I’m addicted to checking this weather station first thing in the morning. It automatically syncs the location so there was no set up – just put the batteries in and it displays the current local weather for the forecast for the next five days.
Body wipes. Sports Towels On the Go. I received some of these body wipes in my RunnerBox last month. At 10″ x 12″, they are slightly larger than some wipes on the market, but not as the large size Epic Wipe, which is 12″ x 24″. Otherwise, they felt and smelled like other wipes on the market and did the job.
(My Complete Clothes & Gear Page.)
Nutrition & Hydration
Caffeine. 5-Hour Energy. Rushed for time before a run, I guzzled this shot, which has the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. Maybe I was too weary that day but I didn’t feel an energy boost. It doesn’t have any sugar but the orange flavor was tolerable.
Gels. “11 Energy Gels for Marathon or Half Marathon,” Runner’s World. I thought this was a good guide to gels because it contained information on calories and grams of carbohydrate, but only big players in the market were listed. My current favorite, Crank Sport e-Gel, wasn’t included.
Post-workout Nutrition. Starbuck’s Teavana Shaken Iced Black Tea Lemonade. This drink has become my new post-run treat. Most of my runs end at an intersection with a Starbuck’s, so about a half mile away, I place my order using the app. Bonus: there’s a splash fountain across the street. Refreshing!
Sweetgreen. It seems like I have lunch at a store near my home or work at least every other day. I have two custom salads programmed in the app (an arugula salad with apples and walnuts, and a Caesar salad) but their Spicy Thai Salad is also a staple.
Nutrition. Nitric Oxide Test Strips. These were included in my RunnerBox. From reading online, nitrates can increase endurance. My test strip was barely pink, which meant I was depleted. The chemical may also lower blood pressure and since I’m on mediation, it might be something I should research more.
Routes
Construction. “Section of Custis Trail Along I-66 Closes Today for Repairs,” ArlNow. The re-paving project on the Custis Trail wrapped up on time. The new asphalt is pretty! Personally, the bumpiness of this section of the trail was never an issue but I’m sure cyclists are happier.
Hazards. “Sewer Bypass Work Closes Four Mile Run Trail Tomorrow,” ArlNow. The other construction project impacting my runs is sewer line repairs along the Four Mile Run Trail. The pipes take up a quarter of the width of the trail.
Water Fountains. Meanwhile, the water fountain on the Mount Vernon Trail near National Airport was out all summer.
Parks. Potomac Yard Park. I’ve stopped at this park in Alexandria, Virginia a few times on my runs this summer. It’s on Potomac Avenue – a long street that runs parallel to the Mount Vernon Trail between Crystal City and Slater’s Lane. It has two drinking fountains and well-kept porta-potties.
Animals. Deer are ubiquitous in some neighborhoods but I was surprised to see this one on the Custis Trail near Interstate 66 in Arlington!
Media & Motivation
Music. “Greatest Love of All,” Whitney Houston. I listened to this song a lot this month. As I contemplated a career move, it gave me the confidence to make the change.
“Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul died this month. This song also comforted me during an emotional time.
(My “Songs of the Week” playlist on Spotify.)
Headphones. Jaybird X3 Wireless Headphones. Unbelievable! After having the pair I purchased in the spring replaced, the new headphones malfunctioned a month later! I switched over to the JLab Audio Epic Sport I had purchased but I really don’t like the fit. In the meanwhile, I purchased BeatsX by Dre Wireless Headphones to try.
Podcasts. “Episode 165: Adieu,” Pace the Nation. This was a very sad episodes as the hosts announced they were taking a hiatus. Joanna would be moving to Syracuse to work for New Balance, Docs has a potential project coming up, and Chris has a baby on the way. I tweeted out a farewell.
@pacethenation Episode 165 was the worst! My favorite @jotoriousDC moments: when we finally met and she looked for purple socks at Pacers-Clarendon for me, post-NYCM happy hour (of course), and the @CapHillClassic. Best wishes in Syracuse! #oncealibrarianalwaysalibrarian pic.twitter.com/I3qrghZmHn
— JT Running DC (@jtrunningdc) August 7, 2018
Pacers and Washington, D.C.’s loss is definitely New Balance and Syracuse’s gain.
“Strength Training for Optimal Running with Jeff Gaudette,” Run to the Top. I added a weekly strength training session to my training this summer. This episode made me think (9:30 mark) the dull aching I’ve been having in my calfs lately was related to years of over-compensating for pain in my piriformis. I added leg presses to my weight training routine to work on strengthening my hips.
“Episode 449 – Dr Josie Perry,” Marathon Talk. The guest on this show (57:00 mark) talked about research she did on technology use and exercise addiction. As someone who exercises a lot, I was interested but thought the risk criteria (1:09:30 mark) for what qualified as addiction were pretty soft. I agree with the direction the host was taking the conversation that addiction is more about engaging in destructive behaviors.
News. “Shalane Flanagan and Geoffrey Kamworer Will Defend Their NYC Marathon Titles,” Runner World. I was very excited to see the elite field for this year’s New York City Marathon! I’ll be rooting for Molly Huddle in the women’s race.
Websites and blogs. “Larry Macon Witnessed Cutting Course at Mo Bell Marathon,” Marathon Investigation. I didn’t think much of this story until I saw runners on the Marathon Maniacs Facebook page excusing his behavior. His record for most marathons run in a year should absolutely be questioned.
A similar quote to last month, but on the other side of the career change I was contemplating. It was a little scary leaving something I knew so well but that’s how we grow! It’s the same with running. If I want to accomplish my goals, I have to get uncomfortable.
