Today:
✅ 15 mi long run – tried the alphaFlys above! They definitely helped me go a bit faster with lower effort (as evidenced by HR). They fit, but I would not say they felt great! I had some pain under my arch while wearing them. It didn’t persist when I took them off (and my legs actually felt less tired in other areas such as Achilles/hips/knees) so maybe worth it, or maybe I need to try some different socks . . .
It was also the coolest long run I’ve had in forever (high 50s!) so while that felt amazing, it made the HR/speed variables a little harder to tease out. (LOVED not having heat as a limiting factor though – wish that was true more than 2 months of the year.)
❏ Kids gymnastics –> in progress. We (A + G + me) watched Stick It last night so G in particular was super excited to go, and then almost didn’t want to participate since we arrived 1 minute late ($(*&#@). Thank goodness she saw her school friend and then went in with glee. OMG kids sometimes . . .
❏ Library! As I resolved. The kids are on board too so that is good.
❏ Outline BLP x 1.
❏ Organize. ie get my home organizing efforts ON. Come on January energy!
Actually my January energy has been great so far. I think it helps that I am really *excited* about most of my goals + projects (umm, estate planning aside). I have been reading (My Brilliant Friend and a galley copy of Come Up for Air as my current nonfiction pick), leaving my phone alone, and even TRACKING TIME (maybe not as accurately as Laura, but still! And it has been at least somewhat interesting thus far).
❏ Possibly bowling because the kids are asking for it . . .
❏ Dinner out w kids. Where: TBD.
6 Comments
We did the library after school yesterday (12pm every single Friday) and then stopped for a snack on the walk home, which was a nice mellow end to the week. Trying to supplement the very boring school reading books. T (a few months older than G) started music lessons today. He was a bit freaked out on the walk there, but then perked up and really enjoyed it. I feel like it would be a bit much with Sunday swim long term (don’t want to have to be constrained the whole weekend, and the classes are too expensive to skip) but it is nice for these colder months.
We did the library and gymnastics this morning. I love our Saturday mornings! I am very excited for a time when our youngest ages out of the tot/parent class. It’s like taking a cat to gymnastics! But… it is better than trying to corral him while his brother does his class.
I hope the arch pain goes away as you break on the shoes. But yay for cooler temps for your run! It was below 0 again this morning so I decided to do my (short 3 mile) run at 3 today when it will be in the teens – which actually is decent running weather for Jan in Minnesota. I’m sticking to 3-4 mile runs right now during our snowy season. I feel like I’ve ran twice the distance when I get back because I’m running on snowy paths so use a lot of different stabilizing muscles!!
I run in Hokas which are supposed to be kind of super shoe’esq because of the shoe design. Something with how the sole doesn’t bend as much means less work for the runner/more natural propulsion? It was explained to me at the running store but the details are foggy. Although Emily Oster shared data on super shoes and I think the Hokas had no measurable benefit to speed. I am just happy that I no longer need to wear orthotics like I did in my Mizunos!!
Enjoy your family dinner out!
Sounds like a good weekend! My kids sometimes don’t want to go to their activities and I get super annoyed – like you asked to do this and it was $$$ so stop complaining!
I ran my 8th marathon in the fall and it was my first time experimenting with different types of shoes. I got alphaflys. I was very excited. For shorter distance speed workouts (maybe less than 10 miles total) they felt great. I planned to wear them for my race and wore them for a 20 miler test run. They did not feel good. I had a lot of pain in my calves and my IT band syndrome really acted up. I tend to overpronate and wear a Brooks Adrenalines, which is a stability shoe, on my regular runs. I think the alphaflys just didn’t have enough structure or support or something for me. I was very bummed because I heard such great things and they felt so fast and I was dying to wear them! I ended up getting saucony endorphines, another carbon plated shoe that is similar to alphafly but in my opinion not quite as fast. They gave me no issues and I wore them for my race. Everyone is different so I hpe you can wear them! I just wanted to share my experience since you mentioned they didn’t feel amazing on the first try. I still have a few miles on mine and I plan to take them out for shorter race this spring.
Also – I know you’ve mentioned getting a coach. I worked with a coach for the first time in the Fall and it was amazing. I highly recommend it. I felt a bit silly telling other people because it did seem frivolous to me as a non-professional or anywhere close to professional athlete, but it was so helpful. I had a big goal to finally break 3:30 and I had not been able to do that on my own. It was great that he told me the paces I was supposed to be running for each type of workout so I always knew I was getting the most out of my runs. We spoke every week and went over the plan together, so we could factor in things like vacation, busy times at work, kid stuff, etc. and make a plan that worked. And if I was feeling injured, sick, or missed a run for whatever reason he could adjust the plan. I felt like at this stage in my life with two little kids and a career, if I was going to invest all that time into running a marathon I needed to make sure I was doing it right and in a way that I could reach my goals, without getting injured, and while still doing all the other stuff I needed to do. A coach really helped with that.
Sorry for the novel – i could talk about running forever!
yes! all of this so good to know. I might think about trying the asics carbon plated model in the future? I *think* i’ll wear the alphaflys in my half because while they are not super comfortable i don’t think they are doing anything terrible to me. but would love more comfort under the front of my foot!!
and yes – planning to use a coach. ultimately i would love to bq though i am a long way off from that i know. when i am 45 (in 3 years) i need a 3:50 which doesn’t seem totally crazy since I have run that pace back in the day . . .
Here is a really interesting podcast ep with a biomechanist talking about the changes to stride etc with the carbon plate if folks are interested-https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-science-of-sport-podcast/id1461719225?i=1000454638981
Nice! 15 miles is no joke… and the shoes can make a difference.