Random Tidbits - How my Brain Works When I Run

by Jodi

This morning I ran eight miles around the vineyards on Chehalem Mountain.  Here's a sampling of the random tidbits floating through my mind as I enjoyed a gorgeous morning run.

the vineyards are waking up

1.  The weather this "winter" has been incredible.  Seriously.  It has hardly rained.  Earlier in the winter we had some unseasonably cold days that made it actually feel like winter.  I loved running in the crisp, dry cold.  The weather at this point (end of winter) is typically wet and cold.  I expect to get wet when I run in March.  Instead, we've had dry days with mild temps bordering on warm.  We've even had a few days with blue skies and bright sunshine.  AWESOME!  This morning I ran in a tank, shorts and compression sleeves and sock, and of course my gloves since the go everywhere with me.    I love Newberg!

on my run today

2.  I need more compression socks.  I got my first pair of compression socks for Christmas.  They are white in the front, but have an American flag design on the back.  Can you say, "CAH-UTE?"  It's only been warm enough to run in them a few times, but I really like them.  It's a nice change from my run-in-them-all-winter capris.  I think there is supposed to be a physical benefit to wearing compression socks (maybe we should assign this to Carissa to research) but I just wear them cause they are cute.  I definitely want to get a couple more pairs.

3.  It gets easier.  I am half-way through Week Seven of training for my fourth marathon.  Last year was the first time I followed a specific training schedule.  The schedule was O-V-E-R-W-H-E-L-M-I-N-G to look at, put in my calendar, and to execute.  Running six days a week with mileage that ramped up quickly felt crazy.  The training last spring consumed a lot of my mental energy and my time.  I'm following the exact same schedule this spring.  What once was intimidating is now par for the course.  I can not believe I've been training for seven weeks already or that my mileage this week requires two eight-mile runs (one at pace) as middle distances and a long run of sixteen miles.  One mile at a time, the boxes are getting checked off without a lot of mental stress.  Hooray for progress.  It definitely gets easier.  (I am reserving the right to whine about how hard this schedule is and how depleted I am - mentally and physically - in a few weeks when I start hitting 50+ mile weeks).

my training schedule for this race.  Getting it done one box at a time.

4.  Skirt Sports has bras now.  Skirt Sports has come out with a line of bras for all cup sizes.  I'm trying one out right now (the Kelly C/D Bra) and plan to write a review once I've used it enough to be objective.  I will say to my well-endowed friends:  you will like what they are offering!

5.  Skirt Sports is also now making shorts and capris.  I twisted Carissa's arm and borrowed her brand new Skirt Sports Redemption Run shorts.  I logged 17 miles in them in two days and loved every step.  I will FOR SURE be buying a pair as soon as I set aside enough spending money.  I'll let her write the review but from my opinion - WOW!  And what a true Sole Sister to let me sweat out her brand new shorts!

6.  Hydration, hydration, hydration.  As the weather gets warmer the need to keep our bodies hydrated increases exponentially.  Girls - if you are running for more than 30 minutes, you need to be toting water with you and taking time to drink it.  All three Sole Sisters have the same hydration belt and we love it.  It will be the best $50 you ever spend, so go buy one and please stay hydrated when you're training.

7.  I still don't like speed work.  I keep thinking that one day I'll fall in love with speed work. It has yet to happen.  I still dread Monday's (my speed work day), especially hill repeats.  This Monday I indoctrinated Sky, my friend and new runner, into speed work by making her run hills with me.  Neither one of us liked it, but it was bearable doing it together.

8.  I really want these shoes to work.  Curt (my husband) and I bought ourselves a bunch of Nike running gear for Christmas.  One of the items I was most excited about was my Lunar Racers.  They were mens shoes, but the sales associate (a super-fit, super fast, girl marathoner) assured me that she races in these shoes and loves them.  They are cool looking, light-weight, and made with enough support to run marathon distance in them.  I want to love them.  But they don't love me back.  They rub holes in my heels any time I run more than six miles in them.  I tried again today with an eight mile run and the familiar rubbing started right around mile five.  I am so sad about this!

if only they didn't rub holes in my heels

9.  Half marathon training is about to begin.  My husband Curt doesn't like running.  His optimal distance is three miles and he prefers to run slow enough to exert as little effort as possible.  He is not built like a runner either.  As he says, "There's a lot of me to move down the road."  He is however, baby stepping himself toward quasi-enjoying running.  The longest distance he has raced is a 10k, but this summer he plans to run a half marathon.  I printed out a training program for him and this week he ceremoniously taped it inside the cupboard door.  His training officially starts April 5th and his race is the end of June.  I'll keep you posted on his progress.  We've been running together on Sunday's for about a year now and we both look forward to our weekend date.  We plan to run the half marathon together. Won't that be fun?

after a Sunday morning run

Coming April 5th to a home near you - Curt Stilp's Training Program

10.  Audio books are really awesome.  I know.  Welcome to the current century, but I just discovered audio books.  Years ago, when we started having babies in rapid fire succession, I basically gave up on reading everything except my Bible.  Curt and I are taking an intense ten-month leadership training program at our church and it has stacks of required reading.  Some of the reading is really heady, put-your-thinking-cap-on stuff that neither of us had time or mental bandwidth to sit down and read each night.  So we got The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard on audio book.  Curt listens to it on his commute to and from work.  I've been listening to it while I run.  WHOA!  This book is deep and rich, a treasure trove of information that I would have missed if I had skipped reading it.  The cool thing about listening to it while I run (aside from saving me boatloads of time) is that my mind is actively engaged in listening.  The really powerful stuff that elicits a response from me is associated with where I was on my running route.  It helps me hold onto those points of information and makes those training runs more meaningful.  I've also started listening to the Bible when I run.  There is something about having a familiar story read to me outloud that makes it come alive in ways I miss when I read it silently to myself. You should try it.

Here's the stack of assigned reading for the class we're taking (plus we get to read the Bible cover to cover in ten months.)  It should be noted I got some really cool new glasses since I took this picture. 

Now I look like this when I read.

I think that covers the majority of the randomness in my brain.  What about you Sole Sister?  What fun things are you doing?  Trying?  Any gear we need to try out?  We love to hear from you.