September 5, 2007

Miscelaneous Stuff

Blog Action Day
Reading Half-Fast I came upon Vanilla's discussion of Blog Action Day. This is the first I have heard of it and it sounds pretty interesting!

What is "Blog Action Day"? Here is some text from the site:
On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

Now I have something to post about AFTER the Marathon :) Maybe I can talk about my bio-degradable poo bags (that my husband says arent big enough and thus refuses to use)?

More Park Forest Scenic 10 Reviews
Princessrunner gave some great details about the 10-miler in Park Forest. Looks like I wasnt alone in my enjoyment of the race. It was pretty darn hot and humid - but spectators with hoses were definitely a bonus. Everyone along the route had their own cheers and motivational sayings - we found ourselves laughing more than crying over the distance, and that is definitely a good thing.

Do I Need More Gadgets?
Dawn, at Run, Dawnie, Run! brought a new gadget into my life, Yankz. These handy gizmos are a shoe-lacing system that supposedly expand and contract - making your shoe more flexible in addition to prevening the common issue of having your shoe come untied. I double-knot my laces and they rarely come undone ... but I always have to re-adjust my laces during long runs due to my feet swelling. Since I double-tie my shoes it becomes a big challenge to loosen the laces. After about 15 miles my hands are sweaty, and a bit shakey. In addition, my knees are throbbing. One of the worst points in my run is having to stop, bend down, untie, adjust, and re-tie the laces. Could these gadgets be the answer? Is it too late (with only a few weeks) to find out? Do I want to try them out on a long run and find I am in trouble? Hmmm...

Last Mid-Week Workout!
Tonight is my last team mid-week workout. For the next few Wednesdays I am on my own for Wednesday trainings. Wow. Time is flying. I know I complain about these workouts - and I will still complain about tonights. They are hard! And we do a lot of speed related drills that my body just isnt cut out for. But, I do have to say that it was quite obvious that these specific workouts helped me during the Park Forest Scenic 10. There were quite a few hills and some unusual terrain - but we handled them all like pros thanks to the hill workouts on Wed nights. So thanks for torturing me TNT, it was worth it!

3 comments:

Amy@RunnersLounge said...

Good tips! I use Speed Laces, alot like the ones you mentioned, and love them. They are good for kids who can't keep shoes tied too!

lifestudent said...

I am thinking of trying them - I just need to find them. With only 30 days to go I am running out of time for changes :(

Nancy said...

Hello lifestudent - two questions for you... Do you know Debbie Bell? She is my sis in law and does TNT for Chicago Marathon.

Also, when your feet swell, what happens, what symptoms do you have? I have something going on around mile 7 or 8 that gets really painful in arch. I'm thinking it might be a swelling issue. The furthest I have been able to go is 14 because it gets so painful. Took a stab and thought I would see what your symptoms are.

Good luck to you in Chicago. It should be an amazing experience!!