Oiselle Arm Warmers: Want Some?

RUNNING... (or running gear)

On the Oiselle model

It was over 70 degrees yesterday in Boston.  I'm not gonna lie, it felt really good to be wearing shorts and a t-shirt.  That said, I know there are some people out there who are still battling with some unusually cold temps (very sorry about that).  Bottom line, I want to give a pair of these Oiselle arm warmers away ASAP; before it heats up across the country for all of us.  I'm not wild about doing giveaways so close together, but this one is time sensitive!  I am hoping the winner will get to enjoy them for a few solid weeks before he or she puts them away until fall. So, here's the low down...

In action: Albany Marathon*
*Notice the man behind me has them on, too.  

In case you missed it, here's a quick recap from Monday's post:

---> Oiselle arm warmers are by far the best running accessory that I own.  Every runner should own a pair of these babies.  I have worn them probably 5 out of every 7 days this spring including during yesterday's race and during my marathon in March. They solve SO many problems.  If it's chilly but you don't want 2 layers, you wear the arm warmers.  If it warms up, you roll them down.  If it gets windy and your hands get cold, as it did for me in both races, just slide them back down and put your thumbs in the thumbholes - this is the feature that sets them apart from all other arm warmers and makes them that much more amazing.    

I'm going keep it short and sweet today.  Want a pair of these arm warmers in navy? (see pic)  You know the drill.  To enter, comment below.  Tell me...what's your favorite running accessory and why?  What's the one thing you can't live without;  rain or shine, spring or fall? Or just tell me straight up....you simply can't live without these puppies.  I get it!

*Contest is for US and Canada residents only.  It will run thru April 15th - Marathon Monday (like this post, duration of this contest will also be short and sweet).  Winner will be chosen via random.org.  Many thanks to Oiselle for making such a kick-ass product! Good luck!

...AND MUSIC

Listen to this:
Next Stop - Bleached  

Race Recap: 5 Miles & 5 Lessons

RUNNING...

CZ, MEF & I post race. Love these ladies!

Yesterday two of my girlfriends and I ran the Cambridge CityRun 5 Miler.  It started out as a clear, crisp day - really nice.  By the time the race was wrapping up it was grey, windy and significantly colder - not so nice.  The race itself was a good one.  Despite its size (800 runners and 800 walkers) it was incredibly well organized.  The course was pretty flat except for the final hill which I should have known was coming since we went down at the start.  I foolishly hoped we might be avoiding the uphill part all together.  Not so much.  It was my first race since the Albany, GA marathon that I ran in March and I was really pumped to be out there again.  As you can expect, I went out way to fast.  You'd think after 20+ years of running I'd have learned not to do this.  You'd think.  Overall, the race went well for me.  I was pleased with my time and place and felt like it was a solid start to my spring racing season.  As I always do in when I race, I learned a few valuable lessons.  In a bizarre way, this is one of the main reasons I keep going back for more.  That and knowing I typically get to have brunch with the ladies after the race!

THINGS I LEARNED FROM THE CAMBRIDGE CITYRUN 5 MILER

1. Perfect running weather is very rare.  In general, I like running in the spring and fall better than the winter and summer.  But, that said, I'll take 20 degrees and calm over 45 degrees with wind whipping in my face any day.  In running, it's almost as if each day it has its own weather system and aside from those 3 perfect days a year, we will always be braving the elements, whatever they may be.

2. A five mile race is a very tricky distance and, personally, not my favorite.  With a 5K, once I get through the first mile I'm basically done.  Thus, the pain in that last mile is a bit more manageable.  In a half marathon, when I hit mile five I tend to find my groove and zone out and then enjoy the ride for a bit.  With the five miler today, I hit mile 2 and and I was like, crap, I still have almost a 5K to go...and I'm tired.  Really tired.  So, moving forward, I'll be sticking with shorter or longer than 5 miles in my races.  Good to know.

3. I really like running with friends.  I love that we gabbed away on the drive over and did not even remotely focus on the fact that we were about to voluntarily torture ourselves for 30+ minutes.  I love that my friends know how important these races are to me and don't question my pre-race routine, which to some may seem a bit odd.  I love having friends around me at the start; even if we aren't talking it just feels good know they are there.  And I love knowing that the first thing I'm going to do when the race is over is track them down and head off to breakfast at which point we will pick up where we left off in the car on the way over.  Bottom line, it's just more fun to race with friends.

4. Oiselle arm warmers* are by far the best running accessory that I own.  Every runner should own a pair of these babies.  I have worn them probably 5 out of every 7 days this spring including during yesterday's race and during my marathon in March. They solve SO many problems.  If it's chilly but you don't want 2 layers, you wear the arm warmers.  If it warms up, you roll them down.  If it gets windy and your hands get cold, as it did for me in both races, just slide them back down and put your thumbs in the thumbholes (this is the feature that sets them apart from all other arm warmers and makes them that much more amazing).  After I crossed the line yesterday, a man came over to me and said, "I sure wish I'd had my warmers today.  Smart call."  Indeed it was, sir.  Thank you, Oiselle.
*Note: I love them so much I will be giving a pair away in the next few days.  So, stay tuned.

5. I love running and racing today more than I ever did in high school or in college - eh hmm - over 20 years ago.  I'm not saying I didn't enjoy running back then.  I did.  But today, appreciate it more.  I love the camaraderie of the running community. I love the personal challenge each workout and race presents to me.  And I love the mental release that goes along with all of it.  Back then I worried about how my performance would effect the overall place of my team.  Today, I stress about making sure I can get a coffee AND get to the race on time and then finding my family or friends afterwards.  Much less pressure today.  And much more fun!

...AND MUSIC

Listen to this:
Sun Blows Up Today - The Flaming Lips  

Pep Talk

RUNNING....

"We acquire the strength we have overcome."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

There are 95 girls on our high school track team.  65 of them jump, throw, sprint and/or hurdle.  The other 30 of them run distance.  These are the girls that I coach.  Yesterday we had our first outdoor league meet. The weather was rough.  It was about 35 degrees, which isn't too bad, but the wind was blowing like nobody's business and this made it feel about 20 degrees colder than it was.  Competing in conditions like this is tricky for any athlete.  The wind throws everything off.  Add to that the fact that these girls were sporting a singlet and shorts during their events and could barely feel their hands and feet and you've got a whole new degree of difficulty.  There are a handful of girls who compete in the 2 mile, which is 8 laps around the track.  It happens to be the second to last event of the meet with only the relays following it.  The meet started around 3:45.  The two milers patiently waited and cheered on their teammates until their race.  They were wrapped in blankets, wearing socks on their hands and basically using anything they could find that might keep them warm.  They waited for almost 3 hours.  Three.  Hours.  Three very long, cold, and tortuous hours.  A few minutes before they were set to race one of them came over and said, "Coach Trax, we need a pep talk."  I walked over to the group and noticed several things.  First, all of their lips were blue.  Second, they all looked worried.  And third, I don't think any of them truly believed they were about to take off their sweats and run for an extended period of time...primarily because one of them specifically said, "are we really going to do this?"  I've got to be honest, I was not totally prepared to give them what they needed at that moment but I did my best.  "Okay," I said.  "This is probably the worst possible weather you will get during your outdoor season.  So, it can only get better from here, right?"  Blank stares.  "All right, I know this sucks, but the other team has to deal with it, too, so you're not alone in this battle and the playing field is even."  Crickets.  "Girls, this is 14 short minutes of your lives, give or take. It's just a drop in the bucket. Done and done."  "Coach", one of them said, there is nothing "short" about this race.  She had me there.  "Here's the deal," I said, "this is undoubtedly going to be one of your hardest races ever.  You will be cold in the beginning.  The wind will make it worse.  You have to trust me when I tell you that these are the kind of races that make you a better runner.  You will be a stronger person, mentally and physically, when it is over.  And that makes it all worth it.  I'm not sure if this helped or even sunk in at all.  But the whole group completed the race successfully.  And, I'm betting, they will always remember that.  Go team!

...AND MUSIC


Listen to this:
Harder Before It Gets Easier - David Wax Museum
Download 



**CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE NEW BALANCE WELL2GO SHOE GIVEAWAY.

Fool Yourself

RUNNING...

"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right." 

-Henry Ford 

Last Tuesday I had the distance girls on my high school team run sets of repeat 200s on the track.  They warmed up with an easy 10 minute jog and then slowly made their way back over to the track.  As they broke into groups and were getting ready to start I heard a voice mumble, "Ugh! I hate this workout."  No one was bubbling with excitement.  It's a hard workout.  It's not really meant to be fun.  But rather than tell this particular runner that it's good to challenge herself and that hard work will make her a better runner (because, let's be realistic, no high school student wants to hear this at the start of a speed workout-if ever) I just smiled and said, "no you don't.  You LOVE this workout."  I told her to keep saying it over and over until she believed it.  I knew this wasn't going to make the workout any easier physically.  But my hope was that if she tricked herself mentally, she could potentially get through the workout without carrying the heavy weight of dread that she was feeling, and maybe even enjoy it a little.  Maybe.  Running is hard.  A lot of runners love the challenge.  It's why they continue to do it day in and day out.  But, for some, it's a chore and there is little to no enjoyment in it.  I, personally, love pushing myself and I tend to take the work head on.  But, if I'm going to be totally honest here, there are certain workouts that I tend to dread (ie. hills or 20+ milers).  And on those days, I'll do whatever it takes to get through them...even if it means fooling myself.  "I do love hills, I do love hills, I do love hills," you'll hear me repeating, usually out loud, as I take them on and attempt to convince my mind and my body that this is true, if only for that day.  Can you fool yourself into believing that you can run a marathon when you haven't trained?  Sure.  Is this a good idea?  Probably not.  So, yes, you have to take this with a grain of salt.  But, next time you head out for your run, or to do whatever it is that you might be reluctant to face, why not fool yourself?  Believe you can, that you like doing it and that you truly want to do it.  See what happens.  You might be surprised.  Now, I'm off to see if I can use this strategy with my 8 year old.  Perhaps today she can make herself believe that she enjoys making her bed.  Or maybe I'm just fooling myself with this one...which might not be such a bad thing.

...AND MUSIC

Listen to this:
Diane Young - Vampire Weekend   *

*Note: expected release date of their new album 5/14. Yep, I'm excited.


**CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE NEW BALANCE WELL2GO SHOE GIVEAWAY.