(Semi)Wordless Wednesday - I Can Fly!

Many thanks to Mom's Magical Miles for putting on the
You Can Fly Challenge, a 19.3-mile virtual race!
I got it done!

Getting DEEP

WOW, it’s been a busy, busy couple of weeks!  Lots to report here, but I’m not a fan of reading overly long blog posts, and I bet you aren’t, either.  So I’ll keep it short(ish) and break it all up into a few posts.

Okay?

Okay.

First…

Guess who’s back?  Hint: it’s not Slim Shady.  Though I hear he’ll be back.  Too.

No, I’m talking about IT Band Syndrome (ITBS).  Ever notice that I never said I had it beat?  That’s because I never believed it was actually gone.  I hoped, of course, and I even started to think maybe I’d banished it forever… but it’s back.  And… in my other leg. 

My OTHER LEG!

Heeeeeeeere's Johnny!
If my IT Band had a face, I'm pretty sure it would look like this.

Seriously?!  Yes.  Same story, different leg.  I’m pretty sure a combination of things brought it on during my last long run of 11 miles – increased mileage (can’t be helped), with prolonged time on one side of our super-slanty sidewalks (should’ve run a more flat, even route), in new shoes (still love ‘em, but they are a little different than what I’m used to), and compensation for my mostly-but-not-completely-healed knee sprain.  Too much.

So, here I am again, hoping for a miracle so I can run the upcoming Tower of Terror 10-Miler.  In less than three weeks.

I’m seeing the Miracle Worker (aka my chiropractor).

I’m foam rolling like a boss.

I’m stretching.

I’m reducing mileage after a week off entirely.

I’m strength training.

And…

I’m using this bad boy:

Get your mind out of the gutter, PRONTO!

Oh yeah.  Why in precious heck doesn’t anyone recommend a personal deep tissue massager for ITBS, tight glutes, shin splints, etc.?!  The Miracle Worker uses one on me to stretch the IT Band and I believe it’s the #1 thing that aided my recovery last time around.  But I can’t afford to visit the Miracle Worker every day.

I found my Wahl Deep Tissue Percussion Therapeutic Massager on Amazon for $32.55, paid for with American Express reward points.  Boo-freaking-ya.  This thing is amazing – I’m smoothing out knots and adhesions, I’m stretching my IT Bands, and when I’m done, I’m giving my shoulders some much needed kneading.

How many thumbs up? A solid TWO.  I’d give more, but that’s all I’ve got.

Time to Fly! A review of the Hoka One One Kailua Tarmac

Remember how I said I never wanted to run a full marathon?

I take that back.

Maybe.

And it’s because of these beauties…

"Time to Fly! reads the insole's slogan - it's true!

The Hoka One One KailuaTarmac.

~SWOON!~

The Hoka One One running shoe concept is one created by and for ultra-marathoners.  Far from minimalist, Hoka has somehow managed to combine a distinct lack of fancy foot movement management tricks with a great, big sole and low heel-to-toe drop to create shoes that allows one to “run more relaxed.”  Hoka says its shoes are designed to be lightweight, while offering midsoles that are “30 percent softer than the material used in traditional running shoes.”  With a fairly large outsole, the seemingly bulky shoes promise to grip and stabilize in both trail and road models.  Many ultra-marathoners swear by the Hoka brand to take them comfortably through challenging 100-mile races.

In my search for the Perfect Shoe, I tried the HokaBondi-B model some time ago.  It wasn’t right for me.  The technology of it was great – I could absolutely see how the gigantic sole would cushion well – but I had the same issue with the Bondi-B I have with 95% of the running shoes on the market: the heel was too roomy.  Thanks to freakishly narrow heels and a bum Achilles, I need a LOT of support around my heel and lower ankle.  And the Bondi-B fell short of my needs.  Bummer.

Now, I did find the Perfect Shoe late last year – the BrooksPureFlow.  It’s really been a fantastic shoe for me – minimal stability, lots of cushion, a little arch support, low heel-to-toe drop, and the best heel hug I’ve found yet in a running shoe.  The PureFlow took me through IT Band recovery and saw me through my first half-marathon.  It’s been so good to me, I bought two more pairs when they were on sale, so I have back-ups.  And that was a good call – because my original PureFlows wore out after a measly 225 miles.

But.  (Yes, there’s a “but”.)  I’ve been finding my body craving a slightly different shoe for recovery runs.  Something a bit more substantial.  With a little more support and cushion.  But not too much.   

Enter the Hoka Kailua.

I stumbled upon the Kailua while shopping RunningWarehouse online.  It’s a new shoe and, I’ve read, the first Hoka built specifically for women.  Running Warehouse’s awesome Shoefitter gadget showed that the Kailua should fit me very similarly to my PureFlows.  Read: a much smaller, tighter heel cup than the Bondi-B.  Armed with a discount code, I ordered a pair and crossed my fingers.

First Impressions – out of the box

Taking the Kailuas out of the box, I was first struck by how light they felt.  It’s a bit odd, really, because my eyes were telling me this was a bulky, heavy shoe, but holding them felt no different than the weight of my PureFlows.  Pink was the only color available and it’s okay; I’m kind of over the whole pink thing, but it’s a soft pink and not too awful.  The Kailua’s laces have a cord-like feel to them, unlike any other running shoe laces I’ve experienced, and I wasn’t sure how well they’d feel in motion.

First Impressions – on the treadmill

Lacing up, I found that the shoes are, indeed, far more huggy in the heels and have a nice, high back that gives me terrific support at the base of my Achilles.  The cord-like laces turn out to be great for cinching things up nice and tight where needed, and keeping other spots looser without slipping out of place.  The arch support is just right for my medium but very flexible arches; no sense of running with a hard-boiled egg beneath my arches (I'm talking to you, Asics.)  The toe box is roomy enough that my foot isn’t forced into any unnatural position, but snug enough that I’m not sliding around in there, either.

In case they wound up not working, I first took my Kailuas on a short walk on the treadmill.  And I was immediately impressed.  These may be made for ultras, but they are positively dreamy for a brisk walk!  That’s the one thing I don’t love about my PureFlows; they’re not ideal for a walking motion.  The Kailuas ARE, by golly.  The heel is cushiony enough to absorb impact nicely and the roll to forefoot felt seamless.  I found myself taking slightly longer strides than with my PureFlows, but with no additional stress in my feet, ankles, knees or hips.  Moving into a jog, I was blown away… the energy return in the Kailua is incredible!  I’m a mid- to forefoot striker (I aim for mid-foot, but naturally seem to land toe-ball-heel if I stop paying attention – I totally blame years in the ballet for that) and it’s been tough to find shoes that give enough cushion and spring in the forefoot… the Kailua does, in spades.  It felt a bit like landing on a very small springboard with each step – I felt the cushioned midsole absorb impact as I landed, and then felt that energy power me back up on toe-off.  Pretty nifty stuff!

First Impressions – on the road

Simply put, the Kailuas felt goooood.  At the end of that week, I had a six-miler planned – with lots of walking and some running, as I was still babying my earlier injury.  Since I wasn’t planning on running too much, and the Kailuas had felt so nice walking, I decided to use them.  Six miles.  Practically right out of the box.  How was it?  Magical.  I only ran one out of every five minutes for the first three miles and felt fantastic at the halfway mark.  My heels were stable, my toes weren’t cramped, my calves weren't tightening, and my crabby knee wasn’t crabbing.  So I took it up a notch: 1:00walk/1:00run intervals.  I felt like I flew through the next two miles!  The run felt so springy, wingy, super-good, it was very hard to make myself slow to a walk.  So, for the last mile, I didn’t.  Walk.  Okay, a couple times as I had to wait for a street light or car turning into a driveway, but mostly, I ran.  I can’t fathom how a pair of shoes can magically make me overcome the exercise-induced asthma that requires regular walk breaks so that I may breathe, but I simply did not seem to need them in my Kailuas.  What’s more, my feet usually let me know by around mile five or six that they are about as impressed with my desire to run long as McKayla was with her silver medal. 

Not. Impressed.

But in the Kailuas?  My feet were perfectly happy after six miles.  And the thought flew through my mind too fast to block it: “I could totally finish a marathon in these.”

Say WHAT?!?!

So, now what?

I’ve taken a few more short runs in the Kailuas and I fall more in love with them every time.  I bought them as a recovery shoe, not a distance shoe.  I have an 11 to 12-mile training run this weekend, and a 12 to 13-miler two weeks after that.  And then the Tower of Terror10-Miler two weeks later, followed by the Halloween Halfathon three weeks after that.  My knee still isn’t 100% and I’m terrified of developing IT Band Syndrome again.  I’m quite tempted to take the Kailuas out for some true distance this weekend, but a nagging voice keeps saying “nothing new this close to your races!”

I just don’t know.  Is a six-mile test enough to predict how I’ll hold up in my Hokas in double digit mileage?  Or should I wait until these races are done before putting in more mileage in them?

Stay tuned…

UPDATE:  Sadly, I had to return the Hokas.  It wasn't easy - I had to think long and hard on the decision.  They really are amazing shoes!  But the heel was just too loose and continued getting looser over time.  Cinching the laces tighter wasn't an option, as that dug into the front of my ankle, causing bruising.  It's such a shame, because they were fantastic in every other way!

Wordless Wednesday... A Preview

Speed Kills

Oh c’mon now – surely I’m not the only living person on the planet who grew up watching WKRP in Cincinnati?!  Every weekday, after school.  One of the most brilliant sit-coms ever.  EVER!

And The Hold Up?  In which Dr. Johnny Fever DJ’s live from Del’s Stereo and Sound?  And, in response to Del’s over-caffeinated speed rant, Dr. Johnny Fever deadpans, “Uh-huh. Speed kills, Del,”?  Pure awesomeness.

Haven’t seen it?  Then, click below and watch, then come back.  I’ll wait…

WKRP - The Hold Up (Hulu)

My second-favorite* episode.  EVER.

What on earth does this have to do with running? Let me tell you… speed does kill, Del.  Or at least it can kill a training plan.

I had a speed workout planned for this past weekend.  6 x 800-meter repeats at a 10:30/mile pace.  It was a nice morning, for West-Central Florida, (meaning that the humidty was only 99% and the temp was actually BELOW 80! I almost grabbed a parka.  almost.), and I was feeling all sorts of badass after a little ½ mile warm-up.  So I fired it up and rolled off the first 800m at a 10:22 pace.  Nailed a second 800m at 10:11.  Slowed down a tad to run the third 800m at 10:37.  And then felt the full force of the sun and wound up running the 4^th 800m at 11:18. 

But I still felt strong, and that last slower lap left me feeling recovered enough to push the next 800m.  So I did.  Push.  Against the pavement.  With my right foot.  And then stopped.  With an audible, “WTF?!”  My knee hurt.  A lot.  On the outside.  And it wasn’t my bad, ITBS-ridden left leg.  Oh no.  It was the right leg – the good leg.

GAH!

Long story short, I tweaked a bunch of stuff that connects to the top of my fibula, stretched my LCL and hamstring tendon a bit more than they like to be stretched. The Miracle Worker (my chiropractor) did some chiro-magic to reduce the swelling and promote healing and told me not to run for a week.  And then, when I do run again, to slow down some. 

Speed kills, V.

Luckily, I have plenty of time before any long race and I've already hit 10 miles in training, so I'm not too worried.  And really, it's so blasted hot down here, I'm quite okay with taking a week off.  So there.

*My absolute favorite episode is, of course, the 1978 classic, Turkeys Away.  Priceless.

The Need for Speed

"I feel the need... the need for speed!"

If you are of a certain age – and I am – you don’t just know this quote and its context.  Oh no.  You’ve repeated it a few hundred dozen times.  You’ve performed the accompanying ‘round-the-world-over-the-shoulder high five.  You’ve also referred to your good buddy as your “wingman.”  And, chances are, you can sing every word of You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.”  You know – with feeling.

I digress.

I’ve been feeling the need for speed, now that my stupid IT Band seems to more or less have accepted that it’s going to run, whether it likes it or not.  Thanks to my piss-poor lungs, I’ll probably never be a fast runner, but I’d sure like to be faster.  So my training plan for the Tower of Terror10-Miler and Halloween Halfathon includes some speed training stints on my non-long run weeks.  And I got started on them recently.

First up was a session taken straight from Jeff Galloway’s Time Improvement plan for the runDisney Tower of Terror 10-Miler: run 800 meters at a pace 15 seconds faster than race goal pace, walk 3 minutes to recover, repeat for a total of four times.   Now, as I’ve mentioned before, I am a sprinter by nature.  Not a super fast sprinter, mind you, but a sprinter – I love to run at top speed for short stretches.  Distance training has been sort of a downer in that regard; I’ve been so busy building base mileage and nursing injuries, I haven’t had an opportunity to go fast in over a year.  So I was pretty psyched to tackle my first speed training task.

I have this awesome little outdoor, paved track near home.  It circles a pretty lake surrounded by trees, so much of the track is shaded – a huge plus this time of year in Florida.  I took a trip around to warm up properly and started in.  I’d set up my Runkeeper iPhone app to four interval sets of 800 meters followed by three minutes walking and wore my Garmin 10 to pause during recoveries and check my pace on the fly. 

So how’d it go?

No, no – I’ll tell you… it was GREAT!!!  Really amazing.  I don’t know when I’ve felt better in a run.  Forget 15 seconds faster than my 12:00/mile goal pace – I ran 800 meter splits of 11:05, 10:33, 10:44 and 10:42.  Up to a whopping 1:27 under goal pace!  Pretty comfortably, too; I really felt like I could’ve pushed harder, but didn’t want to invite problems unnecessarily.

Two weeks later, it was time for hill repeats.  Now, if you’ve followed my blog for a while, or if you live in the southern half of Florida, you know that there is a distinct lack of hills in the area.  But here in coastal Florida, we have many bridges connecting the mainland with our barrier islands.  Since my knee had been acting up the previous week, I opted for the lower of the two bridges near me and vowed to kill it.

I started out on the flat beach road, turning in a mile warm-up before getting to the bridge.  I then ran up, walked down the other side, turned around and repeated that the other direction.  Twice, for a total of four ascents and descents.  Going up a fifth time, the bells began to ring, alerting all that the draw bridge was being raised to allow a sailboat to pass underneath.  I took it as some weird sign to pick up the pace and beat a couple of teenaged girls to the top before turning around.  And I did.  Pass them. 

Once more I ascended and turned around, then finished with an easy, flat mile for recovery.

I must say that I’m loving these speed workouts!  Which is really making me think about next year’s race schedule… perhaps a bit less distance and more 5Ks?  We’ll see.  For now…

Wordless Wednesday: Where I Run