Runner Insight

^ Click Arrow To Listen

Preparation For Marathon Race Day – Forget the Miles: It’s All About the Running Clothing! Really!

As the marathon day drew near, I was well into my marathon training program, and as long as I stayed healthy, there was no question – I was going to run this marathon! 

So before the cut-off date when the price to register went up, I registered for the marathon.  Now I was committed – no backing out – not that I would have, I was excited, and the excitement just kept building as I started planning what to wear for the big race.

Of course this monumental event called for a new outfit.  I knew I wanted to wear red for sure as I like red, plus there’s the psychological edge it gives to wear a fast color. But I was having trouble finding just the right pair of red shorts. It was hot, Hot, HOT in Montana that summer, and I wanted a stratus-cut for lots of ventilation.

I looked online, but was disappointed with the choices, so one afternoon I walked down to the Runner’s Edge, our local running store, and found just what I had been so desperately searching for: a pair of red Hind stratus-cut shorts.  Albeit in men’s, but that didn’t matter, as they had a size small. 

So now that I had the running shorts, I needed the right running shirt to go with it.  I found a nice blue one and I was set. I had my WrightSocks ready, and a new outfit in hand: I was stoked.

I didn’t wear my new clothes ahead of the race day, except for a short trial run.  Some runners run their long marathon training runs in the clothes they will run in on race day, so there will be no surprises as to how the garments will feel and perform – to ensure there are no unexpected seams rubbing the wrong way, etc.  But me, I bathe in the rush of new running clothes, so just a short, quick test-drive of my new race day running outfit was fine. Oh and I also got a new running hat…red, from the Runner’s Edge, too. Now I was set.

The forecast was calling for more hot weather and it ended up being one of our hottest summers on record. I thought we could find some cool neck wraps. These things are great.  We had used them the summer before, and so I knew that by soaking them in water and then putting them in the refrigerator, they get nice and cool and the refreshing coolness lasts quite a while. 

So off we went in search of neck wraps.  We found some at Wal-Mart, but when we soaked them in water they turned slimy!  Yuck!  I couldn’t wear that!  So we returned those.  We eventually found some at a sports warehouse that didn’t turn slimy. I wanted about three so that T could meet me on the road and change them out for me during the race. 

My other quandary was finding a running pocket.  I had stuff I wanted to take with me on the long run, but the little pocket in my shorts would not be big enough to hold my mints, ChapStick, energy beans, and extra battery if I decided to take my MP3 player.

I didn’t want a fanny pack as I didn’t want to deal with the bouncing of a fanny pack on my waist for 26.2 miles. So I looked in all the stores, but all I could find were cell phone cases.  I bought several of them hoping I would find the right fit, but none were what I was looking for. I even looked online, but no luck.  So I settled for a carrier a little bit larger then a cell phone case.  It was a bit bulky, but it held all the stuff I wanted to take, so it would have to do.

A year later I found the perfect running pocket by Amphipod. It was in Illinois while visiting family – right there in a local running store! I can’t seem to find it available anymore, so I’m a little afraid that they may have stopped making them.

Another last-minute buy was a pair of wrist sweat bands.  Knowing race day was going to be extremely hot, having the wrist bands would be vital to keeping sweat out of my eyes. And I was right; my hat could not keep all the sweat from running down my face as it ended up being over 90 degrees F that day!  So I got wristbands in both light blue and red, not sure which would coordinate better with my running outfit. 

Okay now you might be thinking that I was spending way too much time on what I was going to wear, more then any sane person would. But if you’ve been following my blog, you know how much I love running clothing. And for me, it’s all a part of the excitement and for sure, choosing the best running outfit is a huge motivation factor, as well.

 ***************

Just to update you on my RunOverToEllens.com 1,222.25 mile Fundraising Run, I’m over 25% of the way to Burbank, California. We’re having a drawing for anyone who’s donated at least $1 by Friday June 12. The winner will receive a free pair of Runner’s Edge running socks. Don’t fret if you’re not a runner, they work for walking or sitting, too.   So get your donations in by Friday! Just go to the secure website at www.FirstGiving.com/VisionRunner . Or you can click on the FirstGiving widget in the sidebar. Thanks a lot!

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

Popularity: 1% [?]

^ Click Arrow To Listen

I’ve always been one to look at the glass as half full, that is unless it’s filled with cod liver oil, and then I’m afraid the glass is more than half full! 

All my life I have been an optimist – looking for the good in things. And even when the situation doesn’t turn out the way I want, later I can see how it was all for the best.  It’s a choice we get to make every day: whether to be in a good place in our lives or a bad place.

For example when I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) in 1997, I went through a period of grieving for the loss of my vision, but after a while my grieving no longer served me and my generally optimistic self took over again. I remembered that staying positive was a choice.

In the beginning, it was sometimes a minute by minute choice – but a choice nonetheless!

Living with the loss of my eyesight has brought on many challenges, some easy to deal with and some not so much: from making sure I’m color-coordinated easily with the help of my partner and a little organization, to running a full marathon – which took a lot of effort and planning.

But as each new challenge comes along, I see that it’s all about overcoming the obstacle -my blindness – and envisioning a new reality for myself. And the reality I choose for myself is that one day I will have my eyesight back! 

So by keeping a positive attitude and focusing on what it is I want, I live each day with the knowledge that at any moment I could see again!

One of the most positive things that has come out of my blindness is my website.  RunnerInsight.com is a website dedicated to my mission in life: overcoming obstacles and envisioning a new reality – and not just for myself…everyone has challenges to overcome, and barriers to break through to create their more ideal life.

To promote my website and do something challenging and fun while raising money for a great cause, I started a new project: A Virtual Run Over To Ellen’s - Running 1,222.25 miles from my home in Montana to the Warner Brother’s Studios in Burbank CA to the Ellen TV Show.  This means I’ll be running an average of 36 miles a week for 34 weeks here in my hometown.

The challenge: to run 36 miles a week for 34 weeks!  I had just come off a back injury that kept me from running for over two months, and I was having a hard time breaking through that mental barrier at the 3 to 4 mile mark. So needless to say, this became a big challenge for me and since starting 7 weeks ago, I have moved well beyond my comfort zone into arenas I could never have imagined.

The fun part…Well, so far that’s been getting interviewed by the local media, and ultimately the adventure of it all will lead to me getting on the Ellen TV Show!  Or Ellen Degeneres tickets to a taping of the show. 

The inspiring part…That would be being able to do just a little good in the world, by raising $30,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind.  That’s something I would have never attempted while I had my eyesight. I couldn’t have imagined trying to start this grassroots effort to get 30,000 people to each donate $1.00 to do a tremendously good thing. And if you haven’t donated your $1 yet, just click on the green and purple FirstGiving widget in the sidebar to donate.

Anyway, my point is that my vision problems made it impossible for me to stay in my comfort zone, and forced me onto a path that allowed me to think outside my comfort zone…at the same time doing some good in the world. 

And all of this gives me a reason to keep running, even when it’s difficult for me to see the trail.  I’m more determined than ever to overcome my obstacles and breaking through the barriers my vision loss has put up. 

So no matter what you are struggling with right now, you too can decide to make the changes necessary.  Go deep inside yourself and make the choice to envision a new reality for yourself and start on the path to a new life where you are the star of your own show! (…and the crowd goes WILD! They Start POURING Out of The Stands!!! )  Why Not?

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

Popularity: 16% [?]

 ^ Click Arrow To Listen

When I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa back in 1997, one of the first things I started to notice along with my decreased vision, was my loss of the ability to perceive colors the way I used to.  I was having trouble differentiating between the darker colors, such as dark greens, blues and blacks.  As time went on, I lost even more color receptors, and I needed the help of others to tell me what color different clothes were.

I learned this the embarrassing way.  Well embarrassing to me anyway, as being color coordinated has always been important to me.  I had bought a pair of what I thought were gray pants, only to find out many months later that they actually were olive green.  I had been wearing a lot of red with them, and was convinced they were gray – at least until T pointed out they were green.  I said, “No way!”  But then, holding up a gray shirt to them, I could see that they were indeed green! So now when in doubt, I ask “What color is this?”

It was not until after my dad passed away that I really started gravitating towards the color red.  Red was my dad’s favorite color.  Mine had always been blue.  But it was becoming increasingly harder for me to see all the different shades of blue.  Red however is still a very bright and vivid color for me to see.  So at first, quite unintentionally I started buying more red everything, from shirts to shorts, to earmuffs and scarves.  Even a bright red winter coat! I’m sure it’s because it is the one color that really does catch my eye!  Soon my closet began to fill with brightly colored red clothing – not necessarily a bad thing as I look pretty good in red. 

But not only did I like to wear red, I started buying T red clothes too!  When she wears her red shirts or hooded sweatshirts I can find her a lot easier in crowds, and it’s harder for her to sneak up on me!  She will usually wear red when I am running in a race, making it easier for me to find her after I’m done running.  But to be honest, she usually finds me first! 

Not only do I love the color red now, it never fails to remind me of my dad, and that always bring a smile to my face.

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

Popularity: 13% [?]