A Love Song for Running

This week, I polled my Facebook folks for blog topic suggestion.  Gina, my longtime friend, Maid of Honor and fellow distance runner’s suggestion was fun: “These are a few of my favorite (running) things.”  So here I present, in no particular order, a love song for my favorite things about my favorite sport.  Enjoy!

Favorite Route

I like an out and back route best.  I love to run to Shubie Park from the North End of Halifax as I get to enjoy the Halifax Harbour from the bridge and Lake Banook en route. I also like the Purcell’s Cove/Herring Cove loop although I have to be in the right ass-kicking hill mood for that one.

Favorite Weather

I love the first day of spring on which you can wear a tshirt and feel the sun shining warm on your bare skin.  I wait all winter long for this day.  I also love running on early summer mornings before the day gets hot.

Favorite Race

THE BOSTON MARATHON of course!

Boston Marathon 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Workout

A mixed session on the track where we use more than one distance and more than one pace.  Keeps it fun and interesting and without the need to do 10 of one thing.

Favorite Pre-Run Fuel

PB, Nutella, Choc Chip Eggo, Syrup. Mmmm.

I will admit that I am a reformed “peanut-butter-nutella-and-aunt-jemima on chocolate chip eggo waffles” addict.  In an effort to eat more foods that have actual nutritional value, I now go with an everything bagel with peanut butter and a tall glass of milk pre-long-run.  For after-work runs, cereal is my favorite: Multigrain Cheerios or Honey Shreddies.

Favorite Hydration Method

Does being handed water by volunteers during a race count? On most other days of the year, I use the 4 bottle fuel belt.  Right now I like fruit punch gatorade the best.  That “favorite” has a shelf life of about 3 weeks.

Favorite Long Run Fuel

Gu’s Triberry Gel (the lesser known of the berries) is totally my fav.  It’s deliciousness increases about 8-fold after 19km of running.  19k is the sweet k.

Favorite Post-Run Fuel

A large Steve-O-Reno’s Vanilla Latte made with homogenized milk.  My Steve-O girl knows my order.  And possibly wants to get my cold sweaty body out of her sight as quickly as possible, whatevs, the latte is delicious.

Favorite Running Song

I don’t run to music very often and never race with music because I can’t focus as well with music.  But if I need a song to motivate me, it has to be “Lose Yourself” by Enimen.

Favorite Running Conversation

Erin & McKim

I do most of my training with 4 guys: McKim, Mike, Gordy and Liam.  Our long runs alternate between 2 hours and 2.5 hours.  I don’t really know how it happens but every single week, 2 + hours slip so quickly by in an enjoyable stream of silly jokes.  I can’t even name the topic: just silly jokes.  Last weekend, McKim had big news for me:  New Brunswick marathoner Paula Keating had been awarded an elite Boston Marathon bib (Go Atlantic Canadian Star!).  She won a race in Detroit and this seems to be how she got her bib.  So McKim figures we’ll just fax in my Freeze Your Gizzard win (yes, in a field of 70…) and get me my own elite Boston bib.  We laughed.  And laughed again.  And 2.5 hours disappeared.

I make somewhat of an effort not to bore all the regular, kind, non-running people in my life with “running talk.” I understand that you don’t want to hear about my 1000m splits, my pound to carb ratio or my mileage build strategy.  Running conversation lets me meet a very important conversation need: the need to obsess over every last detail of my marathon training.  Mike meets this need twice a week.

Favorite Cheering Methods and Instruments

Of course I love the Run Forrest Run (my super Cabot Trail Relay Team) tambourine and clappy hand combo.  I also have a special affinity for the cowbell.

I love everything that my coach says on a race course.  In fact, I crave the words that my coach has to say.  Sometimes I run by my coach and I can’t even make sense of what he’s yelling, but I love it anyway.

I very much enjoy cheering on friends in races and love making signs!

But above all, I love bagpipes.  I can not run by them without getting chills (the good kind that enhance performance).

Favorite Running Gear

My pink ASICS Speedstars are probably my favorite piece of gear right now!  I love the comments I get about them.  Last week, a 10-year-old boy yelled, “Those are sick!”

I also love my prized Boston Red Sox winter pullover, a score from the 2009 Boston Marathon Expo.  I have an orange skull and crossbones headband that I enjoy wearing.  My favorite shirt is Lululemon’s racer-back tank.  I love to race in these tanks.  I am aware that I look like an average skinny runner in this tank and that I don’t look at all intimidating but when I pull this one on, I feel fast and ready to kick some race butt.

Favorite thing about being a high school running coach

Girls XC Team

Seeing youth develop a love for the sport.  There are moments where I feel like I can actually see them bite off a piece of my love.  Last week, I left 8 runners (it’s March and track practice is optional until April) on the track doing warm-up to run to my car to get my pen.  When I returned, all 8 runners, boys and girls, were skipping around the track like kindergarten kids instead of running.  I affectionately yell at them: “What the heck kind of warmup is this?!”  They respond, “The We-Love-Running Kind!” they yell back.  “We love running so much we have to skip!”  That’s a beautiful thing.

Boys XC Team

Favorite Mantra

A marathon is a long race.  A long time to run and a long time to think.  For many marathoners, me included, a mantra (a word or quote that you repeat incessantly) is important to maintain mental focus and to shut up the inner monster who wants you to slack off, stop or walk. I’ve used many different mantras- different ones work at different times.  Sometimes new surprise mantras pop into my head during a race and they get me to the finish line.  Right now, my favorite mantra comes from previous coach Matt: “Take a Risk.”  It means push harder, push deeper, run faster.  Almost always, you have a second gear.  Or the ability to maintain a faster pace for longer.  Using it involves taking a risk.

Favorite Thing about Running

I’ve given this some thought, trying to come up with a one liner.  I have it.

Running helps me be my best self.

Boston Marathon: My Best Self

 

Erin Poirier still faster than Erin Callaghan

Today was Run Nova Scotia (RNS)’s Back to Basics 8 miler, the kick-off to the RNS race season, and my second race with my new married name.  Due to some poor planning on my part, it was totally back to basics for me!

My coach Cliff suggested that we run this race as our weekend workout.  With our marathon training, we alternate 2 long runs.  One week’s long run is 2.5 hours.  The other is a 2 hour long run with a quality speed segment in the middle.  This week’s quality speed segment was  threshold-pace (the pace that you can run hard at for one hour) running and fit nicely with today’s 8 mile race.  As long as it fits safely in your training plan, racing a few tune-ups is good preparation for your key race.  You go through nutrition, wardrobe, pacing, finishing strong, refueling- all good practice for success in your key race.

But I did a few things wrong today!  I arrived at the Fire Hall start with my girl Candice, chatted with Cliff a bit, then looked at my Garmin while in line for the bathroom.  Curiously,  my Garmin 405 was stuck on the default screen and said it was 2159 hrs- the time at which I plugged it in to charge the night before.  When I finally got it to unfreeze, it flipped screens and read 2% battery.  Gulp.  Yikes.  I had 2 choices and I chose not to panic.

My training partner Mike was also racing.  While we do almost all of our workouts “together” Mike is faster than me and I am used to running a precise distance behind him.  I figured I would just do that, race at my prescribed distance behind him.  He’s tall and easy to pick out.  I would just race by feel: back to basics.

Mike and I warmed up on the course and I was to relieved to see mile markers.  I had my splits worked out in min/km at goal 4:15/km.  Cliff pulled out his coaching grids and converted my pace to min/mile at 6:50/mile and, bless him, also gave me his chronograph watch.  I’m very bad at math while running but I would at least have a stopwatch.  I would be at least good for… 2km.

So we were off, me back to basics with my chrono watch.  Everyone knows that you can’t win a race in the first mile but you can certainly blow a race in the first mile.  I am usually so vigilant about being well-behaved in the first mile.  But, wow, I rely on my Garmin a lot!  Other training partner Tonya was with me, I had no Garmin, and I hit mile 1 @ 6:25.  Opps.  Tried to settle down and run smart.

Run Friends Candice, Erin, Mike, Lexi

This was an out-an-back race, my favorite.  Seeing the leaders doubling back on me after the turn-around always gives me an energy lift.  I was looking forward to seeing Mike double back and was excited when he crested a hill in front of me, looking really strong and smooth (way to go MJ!).  I love when I get to turn around and see my racing friends on my way back- Lexi looked smiley and cheery as always (she’s the happiest runner ever) and I was thrilled to see Candice running in control, much faster than her long run pace.

On the way back, no less than 3 men who were still on their way out called to me “I need a pair of those shoes!”  Love for the hot pink Speedstars.  They are fast!  I had moved into 3rd female at this point and put enough distance between myself and her so that I couldn’t hear her behind me anymore.  I was happy.  I felt strong.  I’ve been talking to one of my running friends about believing in themselves more.  And had sent them a Nike quote saying, ““The only one who can tell you ‘you can’t ‘ is you. And you don’t have to listen.” I thought about this for a bit.

But I had no idea what I was doing pace-wise.  I’d lost the ability to count in increments of 6:50.  I had calculated my overall time using 4:15/k pace for 13km @  55:15.  But hadn’t been careful enough to convert miles to km.  8 miles is less than 13km so my goal time was actually too slow.  I saw Cliff at 1400m to go and was happy.  I see Cliff and my mental boss says “Look good!”  And then I feel good.  I was going to finish slower than 55:15 but still 55:xx so was pleased.  This race wasn’t easy for me but I didn’t struggle and was able to feel strong for all 8 miles.

I finished 3rd female and was really proud to round out the top three females- all of us Cliff’s runners.  Cliff coaches many of the fastest runners in the city and he makes me feel like I belong with him every single day.  If I was 30 minutes slower, he would still make me feel like I belong with his club.  Yet I’m very happy to help round out a top-3 Cliff sweep.

Timex Prize!

When I got home, I learned my mile-km conversion mistake and that I was actually running around 4:20/km.  I say it was pace calculation problems and not fitness.  I’m looking at my timex prize and don’t care.  So congratulations to my racing friends- Mike, Lexi, Candice, Tonya and bring on another week of training.

 

ASICS Speedstars ARE Stars!

I love ASICS.  I love the way their sneakers hug my feet with the just the right amount of hug.  Like a hug from your sister.  Not a hug from your best friend after a one-year separation and not a hug from an awkward male relative.  I love the way they feel when you go for your first run in a new pair.  The GEL® is one of my favorite features and, in a new pair, I feel like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, like I could bounce my way home on a 32km run.

Asics Speedstars

Recently, the ASICS Speedstars (aka pink panthers) came into my life through amazing sponsorship by Aerobics First and ASICS.  I ran my first race with them at the PEI Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon.  The Speedstars are considered lightweight training shoes, not racing flats.

 

Advantages of Lightweight Trainers:

Training and racing in lightweight trainers can provide a few advantages.  When running a race of any length, a weight drop of only a few ounces can make you run faster as you can cover more distance with less effort. Most experts agree that reducing the weight of your running shoe can shave 1.0-1.5 seconds per mile for every ounce of weight saved.  For example, I train in ASICS GEL- 1160s, which weigh about 9.5 ounces per shoe.  I now race in Asics GEL-Speedstar, which weigh about 7.5 ounces per shoe.

The difference of 2 ounces per shoe should help me shave 2-3 seconds per mile off of my race times.  Not very much, you think?  Over the course of a marathon, that amounts to a savings of about 52-80 seconds.  Pretty much one full minute!  Any runner chasing a BQ or PB knows how valuable one minute is.

Runners must beware though, the lighter you go (and the longer the race), the greater the potential risk of injury.  If you are thinking about switching to a lighter shoe for racing, you should make sure that you don’t have any injuries and gradually get used to running in them.  Before the Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon, I ran 3 x 15km workouts in the Speedstars. I’ll run up to 2.5 hours in my new Speedstars before Boston Marathon.

Let me tell you about some of the Speedstars’ Best Features

1. Tigger-bounce, aka GEL® Cushion System

In the rearfoot of the Speedstar you find the GEL® Cushion System which absorbs shock during impact phase and allows for a smooth transition to midstance.  The GEL® Cushion System is the one feature that drives my Asics brand loyalty.  Some racers feel really flat, like your foot is right on the road.  I love feeling the GEL® in a lightweight racer.

In order to keep the shoe light, ASICS uses SoLyte® midsole material, a midsole compound that is lighter than ASICS standard EVA and SpEVA®.  This keeps me loyal as it light yet provides cushioning and durability.

2. Super light = Fast!

The Speedstars tip the scale at 7.4 ounces. Factors such as the above mentioned SoLyte® midsole material keep them light.  This may help me save as much as 80 seconds in the Boston Marathon.  During the Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon, they felt as light as socks.  In this, my first race with the Speedstars, I won the women’s field!  Obiviously the Speedstars ARE stars!  See here for more on that race.

 3. Upper Mesh

The upper is open mesh, which provides excellent breathability so feet stay cool and dry.  Let me translate this for you in Canadian winter running lingo.  When it’s hovering around zero, snow melts into large sidewalk puddles.  When you put your foot directly in a large puddle full of shocking cold water, it soaks your foot.  As long as you’re wearing quality socks, the Speedstar mesh allows your foot to dry quickly so that you are not sloshing around in a cold squishy mess until you get home 12 km later.

4. 3M Reflective Material

I must include this for its comical irony.  ASICS has kindly included 3M reflective material in the Speedstar- a thoughtful gesture to enhance your visibility on the road.  Helping keep runners safe. However, let me now point out that the HOT PINK color pretty effectively guarantees your visibility on the road.  In fact, the hot pink color has the capacity to stop traffic (evidence Saturday, Feb 19: 2 separate cars slowed, honked at me, pointed at my feet and gave me thumbs up while I was down at Maringal Rd Seaport).  However, the Speedstars come in colors other than hot pink so this is an important safety feature.

Toe-off after smooth transition from heel to forefoot

Spider, Erin and ASICS Nimbus in Africa

Like many runners, I have a shoe saga.  I originally ran in Asics Nimbus and was in Tigger-heaven.  I ran in these for several pairs, left a pair in Africa with my running partner’s happy sister, and then began training in 2008 to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  During this 2008 winter training cycle, I developed arch pain in my left foot.  I learned that my left foot pronated (rolled inward) causing stress and strain along the muscles that lift my big toe, into my calf.  The pain persisted through excellent physiotherapy treatment.  So I switched to the Asics 1140s– a shoe with a medial post to control pronation.  My arch pain improved.  I qualified for Boston at the 2008 Fredericton Marathon.

In the fall of 2008, my arch pain returned.  I added Arch Molds, over the counter running insoles that provided extra stability to prevent my left foot from rolling inward.  I ran ok for a bit.  Then the pain came back and was again unresponsive to physiotherapy- logical because the pain was originating from my pronation and treating muscles doesn’t fix pronation.  I saw talented pedorthist (and Love4Gambia sponsor) Freeman Churchill and began to run in custom orthotics.  I set a personal best of 3:32:36 at Boston Marathon that year.

During my 2010 Boston Marathon training cycle, I began to train with Coach Matt Sheffield through Aerobics First.  Freeman had been trying to get me to clean up some aspects of my stride but I only saw Freeman for short periods in his office.  Now Matt was with me 2 nights a week, watching me run.  I worked really hard with him to improve a few aspects of my stride- running taller through the hips and landing on the balls of my feet. I began to run faster.  And more efficiently.  And then I began to notice new muscular problems popping up in my glutes.  Curious, I took out my orthotics and the glute problems disappeared.  But then my arch hurt.  I put the Arch Molds back in and felt perfect. A puzzle. I went back to see Freeman and learned that I in fact no longer needed orthotics. I had cleaned my stride up enough, had improved my biomechanical efficiency enough, that I no longer required orthotics.  He “blessed” sneakers with use of Arch Molds.  Given my newfound efficiency, I was brave enough to try out the lighter weight Asics DS Trainer and I had the run of my life at Boston that year: 3:19:37.

I’ve been training and racing happily with a combo of ASICS 1150s/1160s and a lightweight trainer and Arch Molds since.

Asics Sponsorship & Eating Pink Words

My “campaign CEO” Luke MacDonald came up with another Love4Gambia campaign win for me this week.  He pitched my campaign to run across The Gambia to Asics and together they are sponsoring my footwear.  This sponsorship begins now, in my Boston Marathon buildup, which is totally sweet!  Luke For The Win!

I met Luke at Aerobics First today.  I’d shared with him that I needed a new pair of lightweight racers asap.  My racers usually last me 400-500km and my last pair’s life expired 2 weeks ago.  I’m lucky to be a light runner and am pretty biomechanically efficient so I can take advantage of lightweight performance trainers for speed training and racing.  My left foot does pronate (rolls inward) a little bit so I need to use Arch Molds (click here for more info) in my racers to maintain biomechanical efficiency.

Some of you may know my pink-running-thing.  Thing being don’t wear pink.  I can’t really explain where this came from, it’s just always been my thing.

So I meet Luke at the store and he’s really excited to show me the performance trainers that he’s ordered from Asics for me.  “There gonna be really fast!” he announces.

“Are you ready?” he asks.  And he opens the box:

Asics Speed Stars

“Oh. My. Gawd.” I say.  I look at him with a mix of disbelief and laughter in my eyes.  “Those sure are pink!”

“Asics Gel Speed Star! Couldn’t find a more perfect shoe for a sponsor to put you in” he says happily, very satisfied with himself.

Gotta agree with him here.  Probably these racers will start a few conversations.

The Speed Stars fit like a dream.  They feel like light and bouncy cocoons on my feet.  They sit close to the ground which I like for speed and response but, at the same time, I can feel the gel cushioning that I so love Asics for.  They also have asymmetrical lacing- a feature I also like a lot for smooth fit.  And “Speed Stars”- totally cool name.

Luke, Erin and PINK

I can’t wait to try these out tonight.  My workout is long marathon-pace intervals, a perfect beginning for Speed Stars.  I have the PEI Road Runner’s Freeze Your Gizzard Half Marathon next weekend so I’ll look forward to sharing a review of my Speed Stars’ racing debut with you on my blog.

Now here is what I think (while I eat every single anti-pink word ever spoken). Pink is the new fast.  Just call me Pink Panther.

Asics Speed Stars

Asics Speed-Stars made Runners World’s 2010 honour roll, see the review here