Runner Insight

Bunny Two Shoes

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Here’s a great tip for you that I got from my local running store a couple of years ago.  I was training for the marathon, and went in to get a new pair of running shoes. Anders at The Runner’s Edge suggested I buy my second pair about a month or two before I would need them. 

Finding this curious, I asked why?  He said that way I could start breaking them in a little at a time and it would help me to prevent the blisters and sore feet that can come packaged with a brand new pair of running shoes you’re trying to break in.

Well, instead of waiting until a month before I needed them, I bought two pairs of my running shoes that day.  I wanted to make sure that I didn’t have to worry about them being out of stock of the brand and style I like, plus I wouldn’t have to worry about it later. I had a lot going on to prepare for my first full marathon; I didn’t need to be worrying about my running shoes, too!

I have been adhering to his advice ever since!  In fact, I’ve been slowly breaking in a new pair in preparation for the half marathon I’m doing in mid July.  The timing is perfect, as I will have just over 500 miles of  running on my old shoes.  By running in my new shoes only a few miles at a time, they will be broke in just enough that I needn’t worry about them causing me any problems during my half marathon, and since they’ll have less than 100 miles on them, they’ll still have all the support and cushioning I need to make the run a success.

Not to mention how crisp and bright and white they will look with my race day outfit!  Yee Haw! Gotta Love That!!

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

P.S. If you’re getting value out of this blog, you can do me a favor by linking to us and mentioning my Run Over To Ellen’s fundraising project to friends and co-workers. Here’s the link information for this particular article:
Title: Bunny Two Shoes – Running Shoes Times Two?
URL: http://runnerinsight.com/2009/06/29/bunny-two-shoes-running-shoes-times-two/

P.S.S. You’ll want to check out my Run Over To Ellen’s fundraising run. We only need 30,000 people to donate $1 each. When you get your donation in and get your private access to the donor’s only daily updates, you’ll want to go check out the video blog and leave a comment, cause every donor that leaves a comment on the video blog site through July 4th will be in the drawing for the $70 value “Spy Coin” that includes a micro SD chip!!

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Never having run 26.2 miles before, I started reading a lot of articles online about running a marathon. I picked up a bunch of great ideas on how to train for long runs and what to eat and stuff like that.

After I’d been studying and planning and preparing for a few weeks, I found out that our local running store and running club was putting on Marathon Training classes every 1st Tuesday of the month. I made it a point to attend as many as possible. They brought in guest speakers to speak on topics ranging from diet and nutrition, to injury prevention and goal setting. I learned a lot, and the questions from other first time marathoners were very interesting. In some ways, it made me feel I was ahead of the game and gave me much needed confidence since I felt like I already knew the answers to some of the questions they were asking from having spent so much time online researching, studying and preparing.

The last class we attended for the marathon training was on race strategy. The Runner’s Edge (our local running store) brought in a guest speaker. His name eludes me, but he was a veteran at running marathons. He described some of his best races . . . and worst.

I’m not sure if that was such a good idea, as I was getting a little freaked out about all the things that could go wrong…maybe I was getting in over my head? I had to remind myself that, by this point in time, I had done the work and training required to run the full marathon. I couldn’t let fear take over. Besides it was too late now. I was committed to it and I was not willing to back out.

In spite of the horror stories he told of becoming a hallucinating, slobbering, babbling idiot from lack of proper fuel, he was informative and entertaining as well. He did say that he viewed the marathon as two separate races in one. The first was 20 miles, and then the last 6.2 miles. I found this to be an interesting concept at the time, but I was more interested in just finishing the whole race. I think if I had really considered what he said more carefully, I wouldn’t have tried to start out as fast as I had the day of the race. And I’m not sure how much his talk played in my mind, but as I ran my marathon, it wasn’t until the 20 mile mark that I started to run into problems…But more about that later.

I would suggest to a first time marathon runner, that when studying all the multitudes of theories and opinions and programs on training for and running a marathon, it’s important not to over think it too much. In this instance, too much information can hinder your ability to choose a program. You don’t want to get in the bind of analysis paralysis. Once you find a training program that feels comfortable to you, in general you should stick with it. If you change it up too often, you will lose ground in your training and get off track for your goals.

If you’ll find out who is putting on the marathon, you can look online to see if they have a dedicated website for the marathon. If they do, check the website often. They will usually update it with good information on the race and marathon training, and a lot of them have a blog or chat room where you can interact with other runners. Once you’re in the forum or chat room, it’s easy to ask questions of more experienced runners, share ideas and make friends. As it gets closer to the start date of your marathon, visiting the website is a terrific way to get yourself pumped up for the big day.

If there is no website dedicated to the marathon you plan to run in, there are plenty of other websites and newsgroups that revolve around the topic of running. You’ll want to find one that you feel comfortable with, as they all seem to have a different personality and feel to them.

There are plenty of great books available and blogs and information sites online dedicated to educating and answering questions about running. Which ever ones you choose, it’s all good. Just beginning the research is moving you in the right direction of training smart and giving you the best chance of finishing a full marathon in your goal time.

Ready to Run?

How ’bout it?

-Vision Runner

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I know it’s hard to pick out gifts for people that are interested in things that you don’t have the first insight about, but that’s why I’m here: to help you with that issue. I am going to guide you through potential gift ideas, and help you with, at the very least, the runners on your gift list. Some of these ideas you will see have universal appeal to anyone who is active: walking, bicycling, running, working out, playing sports, etc.  As I have been running for over 15 years, it’s safe to say that during that time I have used most (but not quite all) of these gift ideas that I have compiled into a list for you. 

To make it easier for you to pick out just the right gift or gifts, in my free eBook “Gifts For Runners – More Than 50 Unique and Creative Gifts For the Runner in Your Life” (Fill in the webform just below or click here to get your own free copy) I have listed the items in different categories.

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To follow up the blog post from about ten days ago on the Top 5 Gifts For Runners, today I’ve included the easy and inexpensive Ten Appreciated Stocking Stuffer/Gift Basket Gifts For Runners. . .

The links are active, and they should all be formatted to open in a new window. So you can click on them to see pictures or get more information or order online and not lose your place on this page. 

If you’re actively searching for gifts because this is a gift-giving season, why not stuff a stocking or a pumpkin or an Easter basket for your runner too?  Imagine their delightful surprise when they suddenly find a stocking or basket filled with all sorts of running goodies.

• ¨ Running socks – The double layered ones by WrightSock that they sell online and at the running store are great, and are specifically designed to help alleviate the problem of blisters.

• ¨ Chap Stick/Lip Balm – Obviously these come in all kinds of flavors, and have SPF (sun protection factor) in a lot of them too, which is nice to protect your runner’s exposed lips from the drying and burning rays of the sun, as well as from the cold, winter winds.

• ¨ Gels/Goos and Power Bars – Sporting goods stores will carry all the different energy gels and goos and power bars. If you don’t know what makes them special, and how they function, I’ll give you a little insight here. Athletes are burning calories (energy) at a very high rate when they are working out or practicing or playing. The energy bars and gels are a way for your athlete to get a quick shot of energy that is easily accessible for the body to use immediately, part way through a run or game or set or match.

• ¨ Energy Beans/Honey Beads – Again, another way to get a quick boost of energy is from these specially formulated jelly beans or honey beads.

• ¨ Bath salts – This one and the next will provide your athlete’s aching body, joints and muscles with well-deserved relief after a grueling run or workout.

• ¨ Massage oils – Ditto.

• ¨ Pocket Warmers – These hand warmers are great for athletes out in cold or chilly weather.

• ¨ Stretch Gloves – The stretchy knit one-size-fits-all gloves are very inexpensive, but great to keep the chill off. And once my hands are warmed up, the gloves are not too bulky to stick in my pocket, or tuck into the waist band of my shorts or running tights.

• ¨ BodyGlide – BodyGlide is an anti-chafing glide-on substance that comes in a stick, like deodorant. A lot of athletes, especially runners will have spots on their body that are more susceptible to chafing due to the continuous repetitive movements, mile after mile.

• ¨ After Bite – This is an easy-to-carry anti-itch stick for mosquito and bug bites.

These small gifts are great as filler in a stocking or gift basket, and most of them are usually fairly inexpensive, too. So you can really stuff it full for very little cost, and your favorite runner will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

How ’bout it? 

-Vision Runner

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