Thursday Ramblings...

First, I want to welcome some new followers.  I love seeing my follower number go up.  One of those weird little things that makes my day. :)  I guess my ramblings are making it out there!


Speaking of ramblings...

I'm tired.  I feel like I just can't get caught up.  I don't think it's lack of sleep because, let's face it, I sleep like 9.5 hours a night.  I take a vitamin.  I eat fruits and veggies.  Training is just starting to get long and I'll be the first to admit that I'm pushing it a little more than I have in the past.  After our race Sunday, we busted out with a 9 mile run later in the afternoon.  Tuesday was a 1:45/:15 bike run brick.  Yesterday, we powered through some strong winds for a solid 3:30 ride (by far my strongest training ride ever) and then immediately covered a 5 mile run.  By this morning, my knees were a little achy, my body a little sluggish.  We took off for a 13 mile run, but I just didn't have anything in my tank.  (the stupid high school parks guys that took out water bottle and sugar and threw it in the trash didn't help.  Yes, I know I put it on a post at the trail head, but we were doing three laps and didn't want to carry it. You are doing your job, I get it.  But then pulling the sugar out of your pocket (were you going to eat it?) and the bottle out of the trash, didn't make me happy).  10 miles later, we were home and I was beat.  A good ole' First Endurance Cap Ultragen makes everything a little better.  Luckily, our long workouts have been done for the week... for the most part and I can catch up.  I hope.  Ahhhh I love Ironman Training.

Speaking of Ironman - I was gungho all in for IM Mont Tremblant.  Even had the condo booked.  But after much talking to Tom, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  It's just too hilly for a flat lander like me.  Sure, I can learn to ride and run hills, but there just aren't hills like that around here.  We'd have to drive at least an hour to get anything that resembles a hill (and they don't match IMMT's profile at all).  I just felt like I would be going into the race unprepared and I've done enough Ironman races to know that's not smart.  You can't go into a race like that behind the 8 ball.  I just wouldn't have enjoyed myself.  So I back out. Chickened out.  Whatever you want to call it.  I'm totally going to miss being part of the League of Extraordinary Tri Geeks that will be representing up there, but I know I made the right decision.  Plus it opens up my schedule a little more for some local stuff during the summer and maybe a late season Ironman.  Florida?  Arizona?  We'll see.

So OutsidePR sent me a package a while back with some pretty cool stuff to test out for them.  I wrote a review about the Ryders Sunglasses (here).  I still can't get over how much I love those babies.  I just need to get the Hex Photochromic lenses in pink... that would make my day.  Anyway, one other thing that they sent me were a pair of Pearl Izumi isoTransition tri running shoes to test out.  They are a new shoe, especially made for triathletes.  I will be honest... I totally put them on the back burner because I've been running all of my speed work and training runs in my Avia Bolt 3's.  But, they are starting to show a lot of wear (they are racers after all and I've put a lot of miles on them) and I can't run in them sockless, so the other day I pulled the Peal Izumi's out of the box and gave them a try.  They are definitely a tri shoe - (from their site) "Designed and developed with 2x IronMan® World Champion Tim DeBoom, the new isoTransition was built to perform when it counts - on race day. The quick-pull lacing system and self-draining midsole are designed to help you shave valuable minutes for your next PR. The breathable, Seamless Upper provides such amazing out-of-the-box barefoot comfort, you'll swear that someone is tickling your little piggies. Amen." (cute, right?).  The first time that I wore them, I went sockless and one of the little slits in the bottom totally rubbed my foot.  Instant blister.  Ugh... I didn't wear them again for a few days and then tried them one more time.  This time, no blister.  Maybe they needed to be broken into or something.  I am worried that a little pebble or something will get into one of those slits though (we run along a beach and beaches in Ohio aren't sand... they are totally rocks).  I could see how something like that could get lodged in the shoe.  I did like the lace system a lot (super fast foot just slide right in) and they weighed nothing - felt like a slipper in that they were snug, but not too tight.  No rubbing at all with bare feet either... simply because there are no seams in them! I did notice that after only two or three runs in them, they are already showing wear and there isn't much room for them to wear.  At $115 a pop, they would definitely be race shoes for someone and not training shoes.  Overall, I think they look great and they are comfortable for short runs (I'm not used a minimal shoe so I haven't run anything over 4 miles in them). Overall, I give them a 4.5 out of 5. :) Thanks OutsidePR. (** please note that these shoes were sent to me at no cost for review purposes only.  I was not told what to say in my review and it's simply my honest opinion about the product).

One last thing... can I just say a big ole' thanks to Ms. Mother Nature.  While I find that 99% of the time you hate me for whatever reason, I have really appreciated a few things the last few days.  Race day last Sunday was a tad chilly and overcast.  Perfect race weather.  Temps this week have been in the 70's, max.  Yesterday I needed sleeves for my ride. Sure it was windy, but at the turn around point of my out and back, you kept blowing the same direction and let me have some tail wind.  I appreciate that.  And right now, after the rain we just had (which my plants are loving... my hanging baskets have lasted more than a few days), it's in the upper 60's.  We've been sleeping at night with the window open and I've needed blankets.  While I don't think our love affair will last forever, I really am growing fond of you.

Told you I had some ramblings...