Where Do You Pin Your Bib?

I’ve been noticing lately – runners wearing their bib numbers lower...like on their shorts or legs. I think this has something to do with trail runners – they like to take their shirts off!
But honestly I think the bib and safety pin pre-race maneuvers are so unnecessary. Not to mention archaic! (How many years have we been doing this?) I think a slick wrist band would be sufficient in conjunction with a timing chip.

Where do you pin your bib?


Abolish running bibs

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Beach Running – Divine!

Absolutely no regrets. Racing on the beach was divine. The expansive running surface was solid with just the right amount of give. There were no logs or jetties to transverse, just miles and miles of beach.
But there was coastal fog...


The fog stood still as the runners found their way to the start line.



I purposely ran without my player. The only sounds; my tread in the sand and the distant crashing surf.
{I have never finished a race where I wanted to turn around at the finish line and repeat.}



At the finish line the sun was already breaking through – patches of fog broke off and rolled away.



Interestingly enough I saw no one running barefoot... My shoes and socks came off right after the race so I could step into the Pacific Ocean.



The snacks included sandwiches (some were marked V for vegetarian) muffins, apples, outdated Power Bars and pretzels. I was ravenous.

The post race crowd was small and loosely knit. However, there was a collective awe of appreciation and gratefulness shared between us.
What a fine day it was!

Favorite Shirt Quote “The Older I Get The Faster I Was”
Race Chatter - “Are you a photojournalist?” (I was taking pictures with my cell phone: )

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Racing on Sand

I finally get a chance to run a race on the beach. This weekend, on Manzanita Beach, there is a 5k / 10k race entirely on the sand. An out and back with the Pacific Ocean as my running mate, the wind tossing my hair, and a forgiving surface under my feet…
Except the more I read about running on sand – the more I worry - it may not be such a good thing.

Risks of racing on the sand:

• Extreme calf soreness.
• Fatigue due to an increase in upper body propulsion.
• Sore feet from bad traction.
• Tripping over flotsam, glass, logs, or giant seaweeds!
• Sore ankles from running on a slope.
• There is no bounce.
• You burn 1.6 times more calories – like I already burn 5000 cals during a regular 10K

Wish me luck – I’m going to need it!

Ref:
Running Beach Style
Sand: A Solid Foundation to Build Your Running Skills
Soft Sand Running - Video

"One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach. One can collect only a few, and they are more beautiful if they are few."
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

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Got My AMBP On!

Product: “Anti Monkey Butt Powder is a new product for active people. Excessive sweat from running can cause irritation.”
The powder consists of Calamine, which contains zinc oxide, and Talc which is also a mineral. The talc is absorbing and the calamine has a mild antiseptic property.

Test: I don’t really have issues with Monkey Butt. But I do have sweaty feet – especially in the summer. This can lead to blisters, athletes’ foot, stink, etc.

“With more than 250,000 sweat glands each, your feet are among the most perspiring parts of the body. In one day, each foot can produce more than a pint of sweat!” - How Stuff Works

So I applied a generous amount of AMBP to my feet, then slipped on my socks and runners.

Pros:
Smooth to apply.
Does absorb wetness.
Has possible anti bacterial properties.

Cons:
A tad messy – for blondes like me.
Don’t inhale it!

Summing up:
Not sure how well it works in extreme sweaty conditions and chaffing, but definitely kept my feet dry. I would recommend runners check this product out.

Free:
I have 2 small sample packs to give away if anyone is interested in checking this product out. Just email me your mailing address.
(My Email address is in the sidebar.)

Thanks Christian for sending me a sample of this product – Anti Monkey Butt Powder!

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Running is Like... Reading

This week’s theme at Runner's Lounge TIaRT is - Running is Like... I know, I know, you are dying to finish this with "...a box of chocolates." Tell us what you think running is most like in your life.
~
In the beginning you struggle. That first mile is made up of many steps – like reading, you have to start with the basics to build a foundation. You will have to repeat, practice – even read out loud so you can move forward. Just as in running – you must put in the time, the repetition – there are no shortcuts.

Your vocabulary expands and all of sudden reading becomes interesting. Just like running - when you learn about intervals, stretching and all the equipment.

But perhaps the most useful parallel is the significance of comprehension. You can read a complete book and not remember the name of a character or the color of his eyes. Just as with running – you can run blind, where the nuances of a shady path go unnoticed. You might as well be indoors on a treadmill...

Running is like reading – A process that can be enriching or just another monotonous task.

So:
Open the next chapter.
Run with a new pace.
Look, listen, and feel.

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Vacation Time

Keep on Running!

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Exploring

Runners are always on the lookout for new places to run. (That’s one of the reasons I run races in other towns.)
If you live and run in one area for many years you start feeling numb to the surroundings. You know the distances by heart – no Garmin required.
You yearn for that sense of adventure – well maybe not on every run day…
So, while driving to the Fern Ridge Reservoir yesterday, I found myself searching for the components of a new and fresh running route.
It had all the components I was looking for:

• A levy with a damn.
• A bird sanctuary.
• A waterside path.
• A Park with pit stops.
• Plenty of areas to stop and stretch.
• Trees!

Fern Ridge Resevoir - Google Maps

Unfortunately – I noticed there was a fence at the end of the levy, by the dam – so I would have to portage myself around the fence or down the hill onto a busy road. I don’t run down busy roads.
O well, I know there will be other adventures ahead – I just need to keep my eyes open.

Some things to consider when searching for a new running path:

• Safety
• Distance
• Surface
• Adventure

What do you look for?

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