Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Just a few questions, if you don't mind

I've spent the last several months reading everyone’s great running blogs about your awesome races and intense training programs, looking at the fantastic pictures a lot of you have posted, and even started a running program (for new runners) myself.

Through your blogs and other running sites I learned the importance of having the right kind of running shoes for my feet and gait (which I bought last fall), found some good references and resources for great running socks, the best type of material for running clothes (even cute running skirts), and read a lot of very valuable reviews and opinions on which Garmin was the best (I just bought the 305 and love it).

 However, the more I run the more questions I have about some things related to running. A few of these things are:
  • What do you use to keep things in, such as cell phone, personal identification, insurance card, tissues, and car key?
  • If you carry water with you, how do you carry it?
  • How do you keep your hair out of your face – you know, after pulling it back into a pony tail and putting a few bobby pins along the sides, there are always those around the face or on top that escape and get right in your eyes.
  • If running alone, do you carry anything like mace for protection?
  • How do you manage to take pictures of yourself when out running and how do you carry a camera.
These questions always cross my mind as I get ready to head out the door for a run so I thought I would just ask all you experts out here in blog land. I hope you don't think I'm a complete dork for asking such trivial questions.

Now for my running report ;-)

Last Sunday I had entered an interval training program for Week 2 in my Garmin and loved how easy it was to do the intervals and not have to keep track on my watch or wear my MP3 to listen to the program that gives the cues.

Tonight I was all excited to get home from work, head out the door and just hit the start button to begin the intervals. Well, I had forgotten that I was to begin W3D1 of my training tonight and the intervals are different from week 2. I quickly programmed in the correct intervals and headed up the street to the trails at the lake. I had programmed the target speed for a Slow Jog, but it kept beeping at me, displaying that I was going at the speed of a Fast Walk! So I increased my speed until I was doing an actual slow jog. This weeks intervals are suppose to be 90 second run/90 second walk, then a three minute run/three minute walk, two repetitions of each. After the first 90 second run I noticed I had forgotten to enter in the walks between the runs. Bummer! Oh well, I decided to just repeat W2D3 so I would still get the training in.

It was a perfect evening to be out running. Even though it was quite windy, I worked up a nice sweat and I felt great. The best part is my lungs felt really good, no chest tightness at all. Taking up running is proving to be the best thing I could do for myself.

2 comments:

Anne said...

How cool that you got a Garmin :) ...you'll love it! So glad you're feeling good about your running...it's really amazing how great it is for us asthmatics!

Now, to answer your questions:
Myself, I wear a "fuel belt"...it has 2 or 4 water bottles (8 or 10oz) and a little tiny pouch (barely holds kleenex, id, and jelly beans). My phone fits in the 10oz water bottle pouch (squeezed in behind the bottle). As for a camera...my husband sometimes brings it on shorter runs (if he has a zip pocket)...otherwise, the pics are taken before we leave or when we come back.
To keep my hair out of my face, I bought a wide head band (very similar to a bondi band - which is all the rage for runners...check out their website).
As for protection...I stay in safe areas when I'm alone. Hope this helps :)

Amy said...

Good job on your workouts! As for your questions, I only carry water on runs longer than an hour. I use a belt that holds one water bottle just in the middle of my lower back and has a little zippered pocket for my cell phone. I usually carry a bottle of sports drink in it. If I run at the lake where there is a water fountain, then I don't need to carry liquid, so I take a few packets of gels and I drink water from the fountain when I take a gel. If I only have to carry gels and my cell phone then I wear a Spibelt. On short runs (less than an hour) I generally only take my cell phone and keys, which I put in my jacket pocket or my Spibelt. I usually don't bother to take a camera (but I might for my big race in May). And to keep my hair out of my face I wear a running hat with a brim which also keeps the sun at bay (but unfortunately I broke my hat today). And finally - protection - I don't run in the dark and I don't run where I don't feel safe. And I always have my cell phone just in case. Phew! Hope this helps!