It's Birthday Week, Shoe Talk, My Hip Issue Mystery Solved?, and some training updates.

Hi everyone.  My birthday is coming up this weekend, and I"m looking forward to turning one year older and wiser.  Last week I was really torn on how I wanted to celebrate. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do a long run or find a local 5k to race.

Last week I also headed to my local running store and I asked to have my gait looked at, and to browse my shoe options.   My hip is still a little sore sometimes, and now my feet are feeling a little weird.

Birthday Run

 I usually try to run something long (10 miles and above is long for me) on my birthday.  Last year I had a wonderful 14 mile run.  The temperature was a lovely 60 degrees.  But this year it is a different story. It is getting hotter much earlier in the year for Las Vegas Valley. We just hit 93 for the daytime high on Sunday.   I was worried that  my Friday lunch time run wouldn't be very comfortable if the temps are going to be that hot.

 I started looking at 5k runs, and there were about six different events this past weekend.  But, none of them worked for my schedule..  I found a  few different 5k's but most of them started at 9am.  I prefer to race at 7am, so I can be home with the kids by 9am.

In a few years I will start bringing them with me to participate in the  kids fun runs, if they want to join mom.  I think it's still a little to early to try to force my hobby on them

As it turns out that the temps are only going to hit the high 70's on Friday, so that makes it doable for a long run, during the middle of the day.

I also found another 5k for later on this month that starts at 8am.

Shoe Talk

I could swear that I created this blog, just so I could talk about running shoes.  Ever since the Brooks Adrenaline stopped working for me, I have been open to trying different brands.  But, I keep circling back to ASICS and Brooks.

Earlier this year I purchased a pair of ASICS Gel KAYANOS 21's,

and for the first two weeks these shoes felt weird, They felt very springy, bulky, and I wasn't sure if I was going to be happy with them.  Well after running in them for about three months.  I am beyond pleased with this shoe! It cradles my foot (my heels are narrow) and it feels secure. I can also run tempo pace miles in this shoe and it doesn't feel heavy.   It even still feels like a brand new shoe three months later.   This shoe is a keeper.
The only downside to the ASICS Gel Kayano 21 is that it is a really expensive shoe.

I also purchased a pair of Brooks Ravenna 4's earlier this year as well.

 This shoe is much softer than the Kayano, and it is a good shoe, but I can tell that my foot pronates a bit more when I wear theses shoes. The soles of the shoe are much softer too.  I feel like this is a shoe that I could wear out really quickly once marathon training begins.  I like this shoe for shorter runs, and for the gym.

 I wanted to see what my other options were.

I headed to my local running store and I asked to have my gait looked at.  The folks at The Village Runner were really helpful.  Right way they told me that my arches are collapsing.... A few years ago I had one neutral foot, and one foot that pronates. Now I have two feet that pronate, and I need way more support than what I was running in before... Last year I had the opposite problem.  I was doing speed work in my regular running shoes, and that caused an injury.  Now I need more support. Go figure....
But, getting back to the shoes.  I wanted to try a different brand.  I tried on a pair of Nike's and I fell in love pretty fast.

This is the Nike Zoom Structure 18.  I tried it on and at first it felt really stiff, but then I took a short run in them, and I loved the way they felt.  I'm hoping this will become my other go to shoe besides the ASICS Gel-Kayano 21.  I put a deposit down on the shoes. I'm hoping to pick them up on Friday, as my birthday gift for myself.

I realise that I also need to find an alternative to ballet flats for work.  I wear flats all of the time, I used to love high heels. But, they just aren't practical with all of the kid hauling I have to do.  My arches are in need of a more supportive work shoe.  I'm such a cheapskate when it comes to purchasing shoes, that aren't running shoes.

Hip Issue Mystery Solved?

For the past few months I have noticed that my right hip, is much stronger than my left hip.  I thought that because I had been doing speed work on the track, and because speed work would usually aggravate my hip, but normal running didn't.  I thought that speed work had something to do with my hip problem.

  I have been running with the same form, for years, and this problem is not going to fix itself.  That was another reason why I wanted to get fitted for new shoes.

Well over the weekend I noticed my hip twinge,  and it happened when I wasn't even running.  I was carrying my daughter on my hip... Kind of like this.

For this picture I actually moved my daughter over to the left side, but the majority of the time I'm carrying her on my right hip.  She's two years old now, and she walks a lot more. But, there is still plenty of hip carrying a 25lb toddler.  NO WONDER MY RIGHT HIP IS STRONGER THAN the other leg......I have been unintentionally strength training the right side of my body without even realizing it!!! Are you freaking kidding me?!!!

To remedy this problem, I am doing a lot more strength training on my lower body. Exercises such as: single leg split squats, single leg lunges, and side Sumo Squats.  

I will also try to switch it up when I'm carrying my little kettle bell.  I was also carrying my son a lot on that hip as well, so I have about 4 years of damage to undo...

Training Updates

I had a few good workouts last week.  I also got to run a little bit of trail over the weekend. too.

Monday 3/23-  A quick three mile run before work.  I have a feeling, I'm going to be working out in the mornings more often now that the temps are heating up.

Tuesday 3/24-I went to the office gym before work, and did some circuit training.  I did the following exercises :flat bench bench press, single one arm rows, triceps dips on a flat bench, sit ups, lat pull downs, and some single leg lunges.

Wednesday 3/25- I ran a virtual 5k. #LVKICKOFFNIGHT  I did this as a progression tempo run on my lunch break last week, to kickoff my training for the RNRLV marathon, and to get a free shirt.  In reality I'm not going to really focus on the marathon, until at least June.

Progression 5k Data:

Thursday 3/26-  I ran a 4 mile loop on my lunch break, and then I did  a little bit of strength training.

I did  the following exercises: wide grip lat pull downs, Roman chair leg lifts, push ups, and some single leg split squats.

Friday 3/27- Rest day, and that's when I went shoe shopping.

Saturday 3/28- Another Rest Day.

 Sunday 3/29  I went out for an 8 mile run,  I told my husband that I would be back in an hour, and I kinda fudged the details.  I had to stop my watch twice.

The first time I stopped my watch was so that I could take pictures of the mountain, and the trail that I was running on.

I only ran a little less than a mile of trail, but it is really
starting to grow on me.

I have a thing for the mountains.

and then, the second time I stopped my watch, was because I encountered two dogs, that were running freely in their yard, without a fence to keep them in.   I just about crapped my pants here.  I stopped running, and I was hoping the two dogs wouldn't see me.  They saw me, and came charging toward me, and when they reached the parameter of their yard they stopped.  I almost wondered if they had electroshock collars on.  But, I wasn't going to get any closer to them.  I got really lucky that a neighbor was outside gardening.  She was able to distract the dogs for me, and then I was on my way.  I ran the last two miles quickly because they were downhill, and I knew that I was going over an hour on my time limit.

Well that's all I've got for now.

Thanks for reading :)