Running in the Rain

Today was a much different run than most of my other ones. We had a cold front moving through this afternoon and with it came a good amount of rain. It started raining about 2 and is still raining as I write this about 7. After yesterdays good run I was looking forward to another good one but the rain made me hesitant. I checked the radar and besides a little more intense rain on the way it didn’t look like there was any lightning to go with it.

As I was debating whether to run or not it seemed there was some divine intervention. The power went out just about right after I clicked off the radar page. Well I’m not one to mess with signs from above so I pulled on the shoes, got stretched out and was out the door.

It seemed I had misjudged how hard it was raining because it was definitely raining harder than I thought it was. It was at just the right temperature though and it felt really good. I had no problem with energy today, possibly because I spent most of my day in the office so that didn’t use up much energy.

It took about a mile and I was drenched. It felt like I had about 2 pounds of water soaked into my clothes. The run was feeling good though and I wasn’t thirsty at all with the continuous supply of water coming down on me, I mean who needs a fuel belt when Mother Nature is doing the trick? So when I hit the point where I have to decide to either turn for my shorter route or keep going for the long one I made the choice to go long.

I’m sure the people in the cars that were passing me thought I was just all kind of crazy. I got a reflection of myself in a parked car’s window and I kind of thought I was crazy too, I was just dripping. When I got to my half way point the 2 pounds of water I had in my clothes felt more like 5 pounds. There is a problem with having mesh on the top of your shoes, when it’s raining it goes straight to the socks. The feet were really feeling heavy by this point.

Even with all that it still felt so good to be out there running and the rain just made it better and more satisfying. The run itself was pretty uneventful for the most part but it was a really good one. When I finished and got under the cover of the roof I just had to laugh when I had to actually ring out my shirt before I dared step into my apartment not wanting to get the carpet wet.

I hadn’t run in the rain in a long time and I forgot how much fun and refreshing it is. I can guarantee that the next time it’s raining I will be out there running if I can. If there are any runners or aspiring runners out there I recommend giving a run in the rain a shot. It can be very fun and is actually kind of liberating in a way.

The Daily Run

Distance: 3.8 miles

Weather: 69 degrees, a nice rain that got me soaked but felt good

Notes of interest: This month has been the most distance I’ve run since I started tracking my runs

A great run on a stressful day

Today was one of those days where I really wasn’t sure I wanted to run. I had to stay at work longer than planned and it wasn’t the easiest day I’ve ever had so when I got home I just wanted to sit on the couch and relax. I did that for about an hour and got a little bit of rest in and at about 5:30 I decided I would regret not going for a run over the enjoyment of just resting and not doing anything athletic.

So I made a compromise with myself. I decided to run my shorter 2.8 mile route and I had managed to wait till the sun was going down so I didn’t have to worry about the heat as much. So without any more ceremony needed I put on my running clothes, got stretched out, and was out the door.

After about 5 steps I was happy I was out there. First of all because it was a great day as it transitioned into evening and secondly I started to feel the stress of the day slide off me. It started out as very much a put one foot in front of the other kind of run. Those kinds of runs are good sometimes though I think because it’s a true challenge to yourself.

By the time I had gotten about half a mile down the road I came to the realization that this was actually feeling like a really good run. Usually after several days of back to back running my body doesn’t want to fire like it does when I’m fresh. Today was an exception to that though.

Once I got to my turn around point I turned up my pace since I was running the shorter route and it seemed like I had plenty to store. This was quickly becoming one of those runs that makes me happy that I’m a runner. The stress from my day was virtually gone now and I could just go out there and finish my run using up all my energy reserves and really hustling out the end.

When I finished up the run I felt good and was very happy that I had talked myself into running. It’s a hard thing to completely explain but I know that the stress of the day combined with my lack of wanting to run at first made it even better. Now I’m ready for my run tomorrow with renewed motivation.

The Daily Run
Distance: 2.8 miles
Weather: 73 degrees, sunny with a somewhat strong breeze
Notes of interest: I ran later than normal which was a nice change of pace

The Joy of Running for Me

I thought before I really got deep into this blog I should talk about what my motivations to run are. My motivations for running might help to explain why I do it and why I feel the way I do about it. I know I can get fairly passionate about running so maybe explaining myself a little will help to understand how it can get such a strong feeling out of me.

I have two main motivations that are in a close tie for supremacy. My first motivator is the fitness value of running. Getting myself in shape was the initial reason that I started running and it has definitely paid dividends in that department. The person that I was 5 and a half years ago looks nothing like the person I am now. I’m very proud of the affect it has had on my body. It’s pretty fun to go back home after being away for a while and not having people even recognize you because of how much better shape you are in.

The second motivation I have to run is the feeling that it gives me. I didn’t really get that feeling when I first started to run but the more and more I did it and the more I pushed myself the more satisfying it became. It’s actually a kind of addictive feeling that if I take a few days off I really just want to get back out there and run. It’s not always the same feeling every time either, it definitely depends on the length and quality of the run.

The satisfaction I get from running is actually a kind of a complicated feeling for me. A lot of it comes from the satisfaction of giving it my all and pushing myself. That’s what makes the longer runs the more satisfying ones. There is also the feeling of just being out and enjoying a nice day, kind of like the feeling of relaxing on a beach. I also get satisfaction out of the fact that I’m committed enough to it to go out their day after day no matter how I feel that day.

I don’t know if all that really explains anything to whoever might be reading this. Hopefully it gives you a little insight into why I run. It’s really one of those things that you have to experience to understand. I know a lot of the runners that share a very similar opinion so I know I’m not crazy. Either that or we all are, that’s an option too.

I hope this finds everyone well and look back here tomorrow for something new.

The Daily Run

Distance: 3.8 miles

Weather: 76 degrees, nice sunny day with very light breeze

Notes of interest: Another great day for a run hopefully these kinds of days stick around

It's Gotta be the Shoes

I first started seriously running in the summer of 2003 when I was preparing for my first year of cross country my senior year of high school. One of the first purchases I made in preparation for running was shoes. Now I had no clue what made a good running shoe so I just kind of went into one of the local sporting good stores and let the salesman guide me, normally not smart I know.

This particular salesman seemed to know what he was talking about though because instead of guiding me to the Nike rack he led me to the Asics. Now at the time I had never heard of the brand but I figured I would give them a try. I wasn’t looking to spend a whole lot of money so I went for a lower priced Asics in the form of the GT-2120. I tried it on and it seemed like a good shoe that fit well so after comparing it with several other shoes that was the one I picked.

My GT-2120s treated me very well over the season and they were the shoe I used for both practice and competition so they got a good beating. By the end of the season I was having some pain in my knees but I think that had a whole lot more to do with the terrain I was running on and the fact that this was my first time running this much in my whole life.

Over that season I found that I really enjoyed running and the good feeling I got both mentally and physically, that feeling is subject of another posting I think. So I decided that I wanted to keep doing this but by then the 2120s were pretty much shot so I needed something new. I went back to the store I got the 2120s at and the salesman presented me with the Asics Gel Kayano 10. The Gel Kayano was the best shoe that Asics made at the time and that scared me a bit, the second I put the shoe on my foot though all that fear was gone. The support was great and the cushioning just wrapped the foot so well that I didn’t think there could be anything better for seriously getting into running.

The second thing that convinced me it was the shoe for me was when I took them off. My foot actually seemed like it was begging me to put them back on, that’s how good they felt. I didn’t need any more convincing and I bought the shoes without even trying anything else.

The Kayano 10s treated me great and got me through many miles. I went on to buy the Gel Kayano 11 when it came out the next year and was once again not disappointed. The greatest thing was the life I was getting out of the shoes. It seemed no matter how much I ran they just didn’t’ wear down. I felt like I was really getting my money’s worth.

When the summer of 2007 came around the Kayano 11s were finally starting to give in so I figured it was time for some new treads on my feet. This time I took a lot of thought and did a lot of research on what shoe I should get. I went to a well known running store in Miami armed with a good amount of knowledge ready to really find a great shoe to support my running habit. I had 3 shoes I wanted to try, the Mizuno Wave Nirvana, the Brooks Trance, and of course the newest Asics Gel Kayano, the 13th edition.

I gave all 3 shoes a try and a little practice run around the store and the winner became clear. The Gel Kayano 13 was the shoe for me. I think I knew it was when I walked in the store I just wanted to give something new a chance. So I laid down the $135 dollars and left the store with a smile on my face and a pair of brand new Asics.

I still run in those Kayano 13s and have now logged 264.4 miles on them after this afternoon’s run. That comes out to a cost of 51 cents a mile, a pretty impressive number I think. The whole time I have owned them I have not had a single injury and the shoes still look and feel great. I have no plans of getting a new pair any time soon and when that time comes I don’t know if I will even bother shopping around I might just go up to the counter and say “Gel Kayano’s in a size 12 please.” So for all of you out there swearing by your Nike and Adidas I think you should look behind the big name brands and try out an Asics. It can’t hurt to try and you might find you have a new favorite shoe.

The Daily Run
Distance: 3.8 miles
Weather: 73 degrees, sunny with a light breeze, man I love living in Florida
Notes of interest: A fairly normal run today, just a great day to be out there running

Reintroductions are in order

After over a year away I have made my return and thought I would try and give this a shot again. Life has kept me pretty busy for the past year which is part of the reason I haven’t been keeping this up. I’m going to try and get things up and running again now though. My biggest problem has been where to start though.

I suppose I should just reintroduce myself. I’m a 22 year old guy who now lives in St Petersburg, Florida. I’m a sports fan and also a runner. I don’t know much about hockey but other than that I have a fairly good knowledge about all the other major sports. I’m especially passionate about baseball and soccer.

In addition to sports I have a great passion in running. I try to run as much as I can. If I could run daily I would do it but sometimes my schedule doesn’t allow for that and I need rest days every once in a while.

Running and sports will be the main basis of my blog with the occasional random tangent into other topics. I’m going to try and emphasize the running more than anything. I’m using this blog also as a motivational tool for my running thinking that talking about it will motivate me to go out and do it more often. Basically I just hope to write something that’s interesting and people want to read. I appreciate feedback of any kind.

I hope to get a posting up each day but their will likely be days that I don’t get one up for a number of reasons, most likely work. At the bottom of each post I will add a little thing about my running for the day. If there is no running then I will provide an excuse to make myself accountable. For the sake of not boring anyone to death on the first post back I will wrap things up. I hope you enjoy my little corner of the internet and look forward to any sort of comments anyone might have.

The Daily Run

Distance: 2.8 miles

Weather: 70 degrees, nice and sunny

Notes of interest: managed to break off the cord of my headphones clean off, so the cost of the run was one pair of cheap headphones.