Training Supplement – September 7, 2016

The summer heat had me down but this week I decided I wasn’t giving up on this training cycle just yet.  Living in one of the best cities for running helped lift my mood but battled dehydration did not…  How hard would it be to get Pitbull to play at the New York City Marathon?

Clothing & Gear

Shoes.  The Mizunos I ordered last week arrived and so now, I have my line-up for the rest of my training and race day.

Shorts.  On Saturday’s recovery run, I wore the Nike Power Epic Lux Shorts I purchased last week.  According to the website, these shorts have a 3″ inseam, which I usually find adequate.  But, these shorts didn’t provide any coverage once I started running in them.   In the back, they cut just below my butt and in the front, they rode higher than most of my shorty-shorts.  The fabric was just too light to hold its shape during the run.

Body Wash.  Thinksport Shampoo & Body Wash. I ran a double on Monday and smelled terrible after.  I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try the body wash I received in a recent Stridebox.  The directions were cute:

Apply to wet stinky head and body.  Rinse unless you want to walk around with soap on your body.  Brag to your friends about your latest outdoor event.  Great for everyday use.

And, it’s made of all natural ingredients.  But, I can’t say I felt any cleaner or smelled any fresher after using it.

(My Complete Clothes & Gear Page.)

Nutrition & Hydration

Electrolytes.  I pushed it pretty hard this weekend.  I ran a hard, long run on Sunday and then a tempo run on Monday followed by my running club’s “Run of Shame.”  (See below).  During my presentation, my ears were clogged which I took as a sign that I was dehydrated.  As we ran around town, my arms started to cramp up, which I also took as a sign that I was seriously dehydrated.  When I got home, I drank a liter of water, took a dose of Salt Stick Caps, and ate an entire bag of Lay’s Potato Chips.  Still, I felt terrible for a few days after.

Routes

Hazards.  There was a lot more traffic on the roads after Labor Day.  This morning, I passed a cyclist who was being treated by paramedics after she was hit by a car.

Water Fountains.  The water fountain at the start of the W&OD Trail has been fixed!

Media & Motivation

Music. “Timber,” Pitbull feat. K$sha.  It would be great if Pitbull could find his way to a street corner in the Bronx on November 6th to provide motivation for us runners.

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

Podcasts.  “How to Use Power Meters to Improve Your Performance,” by RunnersConnect.  The title of this podcast was a good hook.  I thought it was an interesting topic but, in the end, wasn’t convinced that power is the critical factor for endurance athletes – track athletes perhaps – but not marathoners.

Websites.  “The 50 Best Running Cities,” from Runner’s World.  We’re #5!  I wasn’t surprised that Washington, D.C. was so high on the list.  Bonus: my running club was mentioned in the article.

Running Clubs.  Speaking of my club…  The Washington Running Club has been holding an annual “Run of Shame” where we go to various locations in Washington D.C. and one member shares information about a scandalous or interesting event that happened there.  This was our 3rd year doing the run and I talked about the Georgetown Market.

Motivation.  “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden

I gave up on this training cycle a couple of weeks ago after feeling like I wasn’t running very well.  But, I got my head and heart back in the game this week.