Nike Structure 18 Review

This is my first attempt at a review of any kind, so I hope you find it useful.  Feedback on whether it should have more or less detail, including how much technical info you would like to see would be helpful for future reviews.

My Shoe History

Many years ago, I started down the path of a runner.  My initial goal back then had been to lose weight, with the hope of getting back to a reasonable and healthy weight.  I first started with basic sneakers, something you could grab at Dicks or Modells.  My initial training was on a treadmill in a gym.  This meant that my experience with how shoes should feel lacked actual stress from running on hard terrain.  When I moved to the outside world, I kept using the same types of shoes.  After a while, I started to worry about the quality of my shoes.  I was already fighting the stress throughout of the legs from carrying an extra 100 pounds while trying to run.  Bad sneakers could have caused other problems or injuries, so I listened to what I read online and in magazines and went to get my gait looked at by more seasoned personnel.

From there I started with New Balance, as they were traditionally better for heavier runners, and specifically a shoe to help pronation, the 870.  These had a 13.6mm drop from the heel to the toe, which favors heel or midfoot striking.  It also kept some stress off the Achilles.  This is a normal drop that you would find in a standard running shoe.  It should be noted that later versions of the 870 (v2, v3) all lowered the heel to toe drop to 8mm.  As I lost weight and understood what I wanted in a shoe, I moved to the Brooks Adrenaline GTS, and the Nike Flynit.

Eventually I started running with less weight and more mid-foot, so I started to try a lower drop shoe.  This brought me to Saucony, where I first tried the Hurricane, and eventually settled on the Saucony Guide, a 8mm drop shoe with mild support and decent cushion.  Each change was due to how I wanted to feel the road, as well as how well they breathed, and left my feet and legs after long runs.  These days I run in multiple show brands, as each type of training requires a different type of shoe.  For trail runes, I use the Brooks Adrenaline ASR, as it has a wide toe box to support my wide feet.  For my long runs, I trust in the Guide 8 or 7 (the 6 was just dreadful).  For shorter runs, I tend to use a less padded shoe, with a bit less weight.  This led me to the Nike Structure.

Nike Air Zoom Structure 18

The Nike Structure 18 is a mild pronation support running shoe designed for everyday running.  The shoe uses Nike's Air cushioning and lightweight Flymesh wraps to help give maximum comfort while being as light as possible.  The shoe also relies on Nike's Dynamic support mid-soles and help keep the heel and medial mid-foot stable while running. 

The Feel

For the pair that I used, the size was 12(w).  When I first put the shoes on, I experienced the Flymesh wrap that makes up the upper part of the shoe.  It covered my foot well, without feeling tight or inflexible.  It is a breathable man-made fabric that is laid out with almost no seams.  This would help reduce the chances of friction on the feet and possible allow some runner to go sans socks.

This shoe has a heel to toe drop of 9mm, which is slightly higher then the Saucony shoes I have been wearing, at 8mm.  The heel counter felt smooth and was at a height that fit with my feet.  Years ago, I wore shoes that had plastic support for the heel counter, which would rip out and dig into my heel and lower Achilles.  This has created a permanent buildup of scar tissue, so I tend to prefer heels that ride lower on the back of the foot, versus a hightop or mid-height shoe.  The heel counter itself hugged the back of the foot and heel, allowing for very little movement up or down while running.  It should be noted that I do loop the laces through the additional holes at the top of the shoe for additional heel snugness.

Support Structure

When I initially put these shoes on, I could feel the two support points built around the mid-sole.  This feeling is like putting two pieces of fabric into the shoes at the arch and heel, thus creating pressure points.  This is due to the cushioning and support design used by Nike that reacts to a runners gait.  The support will actually change based on how your foot hit the ground.  This meant that the feel would be very different from walking, to running, to sprinting.

This feeling worried me initially, as a previous pair of shoes I have used gave me the same feeling, both while standing and running.  Those shoes ended up damaging my feet due to too much support that didn't adapt based on my stride or foot strike.  I could also feel the Zoom Air cushioning while standing and walking, which reminded me a bit of the Hokas I use for recovery walks.  Both of these feelings have traditionally put me off of a shoe, but I decided to try them out on a short run with the local running store Potomac River Running.  Once I started running, the feelings I had on the feet disappeared.  The 3 mile run at 10k pace had me forgetting I even had new shoes on.  They felt natural, and gave me great feedback on the road.  Once I returned to a walk, so did the over supportive feel.  This removed them from being a walking shoe in the future.

Additional Notes

After that run, I decided to pick a pair up.  From there, I used the shoes as my second pair in my weekly rotation, submitting them to both short and long runs.  Each time they seems to be up for the task, keeping my feet inline, with little movement.  As my feet became swollen, I never felt any additional pressure on the sides of the feet.  The one truly annoying thing about the shoe is the noise it makes.  Specifically, the shoe is not quiet in any way.  Each hit of the foot, be it heel, mid-foot, or toe striking, caused a loud SMACK noise, and I never found a proper foot strike that reduced the noise.

Additionally, as I used them for longer runs, my lower legs felt a bit more beaten up then when I use the Guides.  This may be due to the different cushioning between the two, which may keep them limited to half marathon distances and less.

Conclusion

I found that the Nike Structure 18 running shoe is a nice compliment to any runners shoe rotation.  Utilizing them for short to mid distance runs seems to be the best choice, and I would recommend them to anyone who may need a mild support shoe for daily running.  Anything longer and I would recommend purchasing a shoe with more cushioning and less noise, as after 20 miles, I really wanted ear buds to help hide the sound.

Disney Winter Racing Part Two - WDW Pluto Family Fun Run 5k

This part of my race series will focus on the Dopey Challenge.  This challenge contains four races in four days, a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and then a full marathon.  Each race has a unique aspect and feel, with this year’s series adding a special kind of weather to the mix.  Each Disney race starts very early in the morning.  This is due to the fact that they would like to start opening up the roads to support the guests that will be attending the parks.  I initially intended to cover the first three races in this post, but after I completed the initial write-up, I decided that there was more to talk about in each race.  In order to show some of the fun, I needed to expand the race reports.  For better or for worse, here is the first of the race reports.

The Zen of Pacing

My goal for these four races would be to continue learning to feel a race pace and to feel how I am doing throughout the races and recovery.  I have relied on my watch far too much over the few years that I have been running, without understanding how a pace translates to my body’s state at that time.  Over the last month, I have been trying to only use my watch for the final finishing time, and to update myself on what pace I am running to compare with how I feel.  This also means that I will have to learn to resist the urge to speed up or slow down if the pace I see is not what I expect or think I want.  If I burn out too soon, I learn a lesson from how I feel leading up to it.  If I feel like I still had something in the tank, I will again have a good reference to understand how to use everything while on the course.  With two weekends of races, each set back to back, this would be a good challenge to that method of pacing.
 

Pluto Family Fun Run 5k

The first of these races, the Pluto Family Fun 5k, starts at  the latest time, 6:15am.  This is the start of the Dopey race challenge, and is only timed for those running the Dopey races.  As Thursday morning arrives, at a very early 4am, I start putting together my clothes for the race.  Today would be the traditional 5k clothes set; a Hulk Under Armor compression t-shirt, normal running shorts, and standard running socks.  This is Florida, so this combination should be perfect, and it was, until I looked at the weather.  The weather for 6am Thursday had an expected temperature of 38F, with high winds, bringing the wind chill to 31.  

This is where last night’s purchase will come into play.  While not very stylish, trash bags should keep in enough heat to stop me from shivering.  I had posted earlier to the Dopey Challenge Facebook group that I would bring extra trash bags for anyone lacking the right clothing, so I grabbed the box of trash bags, a single GU, and off I went.  The drive to the race, which started at Epcot, was uneventful.  With only 12k runners, in which 7k being Dopey runners, the traffic was expected to be light.  Once I got there, I grabbed a few bags, and opened one to put on.  It would seem that I got the smaller ones, as they only went down to my waist.  Hopefully this will do, as I didn't have much choice in the matter.

I headed to the check-in point and then to the corrals, as we had 45 minutes before the race, and it was really cold.  The wind was much stronger then I thought, so I added a trash bag skirt to my wardrobe, adding to my trashy style.  Once through the security check, I found out that the corrals would not open up until 6am, so the idea of mass warmth in the corral was out.  

Looking around the empty staging area, I saw many tents for bag check, a future finishers store, and storage. A number of runners were using these tents to keep out of the wind, so I joined them.

While waiting for the corrals to open, I ran into a group of runners from Alexandria, all in the same bag check area.  We chatted about routes and training, and I handed more bags out to people that looked worse off than me.  Eventually they kicked us out of the tent and the march of the penguins to the corrals commenced.   

Once I got to the corrals, I started my warm up by running loops inside the corral, while keeping my arms and hands inside the bag.  After a few minutes of cold stretching, we were released to the starting line.  I started in corral A, so we were the first group to the line.  This meant that we would be waiting through the initial announcements, the National Anthem, fireworks, and the release of the wheelchair heat.

Waiting until the last minute to remove my bags, I tore them off like bandages and headed off for a quick 5k.  The race travels through Epcot, using some back lots, the World Showcase, and the area around Starship:Earth as the course.  The course is quick and flat, with only a few points where it becomes tight.  Throughout the course they have many characters to get pictures with, and since I started in corral A, there were no lines.  

Half way through the course, I Passed Chip and Dale.  I had to stop and get a quick photo, they were far too awesome to miss.  One of the highlights of running through Epcot at night is the lights Disney displays throughout the World Showcase and around Starship: Earth.  There was too much beauty to ignore, so I grabbed a few photos of the lights across the lake.

The final part of the race circled under Startship:Earth, through a back road, and up to the finish.  This same path would be used for all four races, and would become a trigger point for my kicks to the end.  As you would expect, on this final stretch, I sprinted to the finish line.  For most short races, I attempt to jump across the finish line and hit the actual finish line sign.  This race would be no different, or so I thought.

As I crossed the finish line, I went to do my normal leap, except I didn’t.  I timed the leap in such a poor way, that I almost tripped over myself, and thus just went through the finish looking awkward.  Unlike most 5ks, this race offered a medal for finishing the race.  It was a rubber medal of Pluto, and a nice prize for all of the kids and their families running this race. 

On the path back to the finishing area, I ran into a group of runners with some Tron themed costumes.  They were hanging out in the bag check tent, trying to keep warm after the race.

While there were characters in the finisher area for photos, it was way too cold to hang around without another set of trash bags, or a jacket.  I jogged back to my car and headed back to the room to warm up and get some work done.

The rest of the day would be relatively relaxing, beyond work activities.  I had one more race related activity for the day, as I had signed up for Pasta in the Park.  This party would start at 6:30pm, with a waiting line in Epcot.  The food and activities would be held in the World Showcase Center, and would open up at 7pm.  Once they let us in, we were offered dinner, dessert, dancing, and photos with several character.

The buffet of pasta, salad, bread, all great food

The room was huge, with ample room for all the runners.  The stage had a DJ

They had stacks of bananas on each table for snacks and the next days races

In between eating pasta and figuring out where the dessert was, I got in line for each of the characters.  If you timed it well enough, the line was short and each character would give you a bit of their time versus a quick lineup and photo.  I missed Minnie Mouse and Chip and Dale.

 After the party, all the runners had the option to stay and watch Epcot's Illuminations light show.  They stated in the pamphlet that it would start at 8:30, and that we would have private seating to watch the show.  While we did have great seats, at around 8:45pm, they announced that it would start in 15 minutes.  Since I had a very early start tomorrow, I decided that getting back to the room before 9:30pm was the best idea.  I could see the show once my wife Sallie arrived.  After putting out my gear for tomorrow, I headed off to bed.  On to the 10k!

 

Disney Winter Racing Part One - WDW Marathon Expo

I have previously talked about keeping running fun.  Training and racing can eventually burn a runner out, so we must sprinkle in a little fun during our training and racing to keep it fresh.  Things like obstacle course races, relays, and trail runs can help, as will cross-training.  While I do all of those to break up the training, I also like doing back to back races, or challenges.  Unlike a normal race, the goal is to get an overall time versus a single race time.  This is a different way to race and can lead to injuries due to the stress on the body.  If you train properly for them, the risk becomes much smaller, but it is great fun!.  We call it an ultra with sleep breaks.

When it comes to fun, no one can really beat Disney.  Their races are focused on theme and having fun, versus beating a time, since their inception.  Some elitist runners will even tell you these marathons are not real races and shouldn't count as a real marathon.  To these runners, I laugh at you.  The distance is the distance, no matter how much fun you're having.

Disney has had, for ten years, a weekend challenge during there Marathon Weekend, called The Goofy Race and a Half Challenge.  It includes the Donald Half Marathon on Saturday and Mikey Marathon on Sunday.  Since these distances can be too much for the little kids, they also had a family focused 5k on the Friday leading up to the half.  It was a fun race and was not timed. 

2014 changed all of that.  Disney added a fourth race, mainly for money, to help those that wanted to race, but saw the weekends races as too long, and the 5k as too kid friendly.  Thus the Minnie 10k was born.  Disney couldn't just leave well enough alone, so they decided to add a second challenge, that contained all four raced.  They even named it after the unofficial name runners were using for the challenge of running the original three races.

Thus the Dopey Challenge was born.  In 2014, 7000 racers signed up, and around 6145 finished all four raced successfully.  This year there were 7700 racers, and since the racing started on Thursday, every one of us needed to be in Orlando and at the Expo on Wednesday.

Flying in late Tuesday night, I headed to the hotel, knowing that I had to be up early to get in line for the Expo.  While I needed to get my bib, I wanted to hit the merchandise sections to make sure I got what I and my two soon to be first time marathon finishers wanted.

One of the problems with Disney races is that Disney collectors tend to show up on day 1 and grab a large amount of the gear to keep and/or sell.  This means that if you fail to reach the official Disney merchandise area of the Expo by noon or 1pm, the new or unique stuff will be gone.  This year was no different.  By 1pm, the Dopey section was ransacked, as was the Goofy section, since it was the 10th anniversary of that race, and the gear reflected it.  Collectors on Ebay and other sites were grabbing $7k+ worth of gear just to sell later that day to runners (and collectors) that failed to get to the Expo at a very early time.

I spent a good amount of time in this section, reviewing and grabbing what I thought I would want, as well as gathering the gear on my list for Sallie Gibbs and Jenna Johnson.  They wouldn't be arriving until Friday night, and I did not want them to miss out on the gear they really wanted.  The most popular item this year was the Dopey jacket, due to the unique saying on the back.

I grabbed several more shirts, another jacket and some pins.  Once I was done with the section I wandered around to the rest of the Expo.

I had left most of my GU at home for Sallie to use/choose from for her marathon preparation.  This meant that I would need to purchase my GU here.  This is one of the first things we teach new runners not to do, as you can never assume that an Expo will have the type or flavor of nutritionals that you need for the race.  Having been to previous WDW marathon Expos, I new they should have what I use and took the risk.

I also grabbed a small foam roller to help recover between each day.  Nothing else really inspired me, so I wandered into the New Balance booth to see the new shoes, which had the original Minnie and Steamboat Willie characters on them.  I liked the feel and fit of the men's version and made a mental note to head back here Friday to grab a pair if they still had them.  On my way out, I ran into Sean Astin's first presentation of the weekend.  Sean decided to do the Dopey Challenge this year, in addition to the Marine Corp Marathon he just finished.  Much of his talk was about his love for running and his running campaign #run3rd.

Now it was time to get my bib and head back to the hotel to do work.  The bib line wasn't long, and they had a special section for the Goofy and Dopey runners.  We would be getting two bibs; one for the 5k and 10k races, and one for the Half and Full marathon.  We then grabbed a large bag of stuff that had a shirt for each race, plus a shirt for each challenge.  Last, we had to get our photos taken with our bib (either one).  This was to help reduce the amount of cheating and assure runDisney that the person picking up the bibs would be the person finishing each race.  At this point I was done, or so I thought, and headed back to my hotel room to knock out some work.

I spent the rest of the day deep in spreadsheets and e-mail, only coming up to breath for Lunch and Dinner.  At the dinner mark, around 6pm, I was reviewing everything I needed for the 5k the next day.  It would be colder then expected and my compression t-shirt and shorts may not be enough.  I wandered out after dinner to solve this issue, which ended up being trash bags.  While searching for cheap throwaway clothes, I realized I had forgotten something at the Expo.  Specifically, I did not pick up my Race Retreat wrist bands.

 The Race Retreat is a tent for those who purchase the service, that stays warm, has food, private bathrooms, and a changing room.  I needed these for the Half and Full, but was unsure if I could pick them up tomorrow.  Off I ran (well, drove quickly) back to the Expo to grab the bands, as I had 30 minutes left before it closed at 8pm.  Finally sure that I had everything, I headed back to the hotel, via Publix, and off to bed.

With everything for tomorrow placed out on the desk, it was time for some sleep, as the first race was at 6:15, I was in Corral A, and I needed to be there much earlier.

Next up, the Frozen 5k!

Bringing in the New Year... Runners Style

Since I have started running, I have made it a tradition to run a race on New Years Eve.  It has always felt right, Bringing in the new year by doing something I have grown to love.  This race has traditionally been the Brambleton Ringing in Hope 10k.  My wife Sallie and I would run this (her the 5k) later in the day and then get dressed to party the night.  Over the last two years, Sallie had to work New Years Eve, so we decided to do the Potomac River Running New Years Day 5k in Reston last year.  I still felt the need and want to keep up my tradition, so I did the 10k and 5k across the two days.

This brings us to 2014-2015.  I had seen the Festival of Lights 5k advertised over the years, but never had the chance to run it, as it is usually at 3pm, and the 10k has traditionally been at 1pm.  This year, they moved the 10k due to issues caused by runners of the 10k course cutting it short and just doing the 5k.  It would seem some of them may have had a bit to drink before the race and things went south early.  To help reduce this type of issue, they moved the race to 10am, giving me a change to do the 5k later that evening.  Yes, that would be a 10k, then 4 hours later a 5k, some partying, and then a 5k at 10am the next morning.  It would seem that this was not hard core enough, as a few of my coaching partners pointed out a 4 miler at 6pm that they were running, and would I like to join them.  They added something about being really impressed if I added that race.  Who could say no, right? (other then a sane person).

New Years Eve Eve

Tuesday I ran around gathering all of my packets, minus the 10k packet, which could only be picked up Monday or on race day, and I missed Monday. I first grabbed the Reston 5k packet and headed out to Fairfax Corner for the Festival 5k packet.  There I met the race director Michelle Newkirk.  We had a chat on the race, where I heard about it, and my thoughts on the course.  She also pointed out a possible 11:30pm race that I might add.  In that same direction of thought, we talked about possibly doing a medal for people who do the four races.  This would mean organizing between her (a small race), PRR, Pacers, and Ringing in Hope.  I think it is a great idea, and I hope we can start those discussions and see if we can make it happen.  At this point it was off to Pacers in Fairfax for the last packet, where I met a fellow Dopey runner behind the register.  Dopey is a set of races at Disney (5k/10k/half/full) that are run on consecutive days at the beginning of January.  In this case, eight days after I finished this craziness.

New Years Eve

I had the benefit of the day off, so I slept in a bit, waking up at 8:30, getting dressed for the race, and walking the dogs.  A quick caffeine hit from my normal morning source (Diet Pepsi) and off I went.  My goal for the races was to use feel versus pace to run each race.  This way I shouldn't push too hard trying to get a specific time or if I thought I was going too fast or slow.  The watch would only be used for the final results and future data.

Ringing in Hope 10k

The Brambleton course is a 5k course, where the 10k takes two laps.  When I got there, it was cold enough to still need tights and a jacket, which is rare for me in races.  The line for packet pickup was short, as I got there with 25 minutes left before the race.  I grabbed my bib and went out to warm up.  The 5k was released first, with a 10 minute buffer before they released us.  At the start line, we listened to a local singer do an amazing job of the National Anthem, and then we were off.  The race started with a climb up a long hill, then through the neighborhood.  About three quarters of the way through, we started to catch the middle of the pack/end of the pack 5k runners, forcing us to weave a bit more then we wanted.  At the 2.9 mile marker, the course split, with the 5k runners (and those 10kers that wimp out) turn left to the finish as the 10k runners keep going back around the course.  I was warmed up at this point and pushed the pace a little more, as I felt good.  The second pass around, we had a little out and back at the top of the hill to make up the .1 additional on the 10k.  At the end of the race, I ended up doing what I normally do, which is not let anyone pass me, and sprint to the end.  I also planned to jump and hit the Finish sign, but timed it wrong and almost tripped.  All in all, it was a good start to the day, with a 47 minute finish.  Now for breakfast, a change of clothes and a beer.

Adroit Theroy

 My wife and I are members of a local brewery Adroit Theory, which is known for doing single barrel experiments that are very unique and usually dark.  Today was their end of the year party, and final release for members.  I headed there to grab our last set of beers of the year, and a growler of their Strong Ale.  It was crowded, with food and beer flowing like water.  I grabbed our beers and headed to the front for the growler.  As I finished paying for it, the keg kicked, so I had to choose another beer.  They had just featured a new ale, and thought I might like it instead.  They gave me a glass to try.  It tasted far too much like Bud or Miller, and after the glass I decided to go with the safe Saison.  I grabbed some of their new marinade sauce and headed to Bull Run for the 5k.

Festival of Lights 5k

The 5k was held at the Bull Run park, right next to the outdoor shooting range.  It also used part of the Festival of Lights path.  It was warm enough that I didn't need a jacket and could move to capris.

The course started near the main Festival, just south of the Ferris wheel.  It did two loops around a sharp hill, then it released out to the Festival path for an out and back.  For this start, they used a recording of the National Anthem, with the sound of gunshots from the shooting range in the background.  It was surreal to say the least.  We were then released up the hill.  This path was gravel, so I took the edge where there was grass for better footwork and stability.  I didn't see a reason to waste energy trying to push through gravel.  After the first loop, I heard Michelle yell toward me, saying hi, and asked if I went to get a beer before the race, which I replied yes, and told her I had more in the car.

After the first two loops, I pushed down the Festival path.  Again, running by feel alone, I kept my breathing under control and what I felt was threshold pace.  At the turn I started cheering for everyone behind me, though no one seemed to want to high five.  The last bit was back uphill, and then sprinting to the finish.  The field here was only 106, which was great, and allowed for very little bunching during the race.  I ended up with a finish of 22:48, a minute off my fastest time, but still good enough for a first place in my age group.  After talking a bit with a few racers who would also be at the 4 miler, and giving my feedback to Michelle, I headed off to Fairfax City for the last race of the day.

Fairfax 4-miler

Once in Fairfax City, I parked in the closest parking garage and changed clothes.  It had gotten cold again, and I needed to put the tights back on, and use a new, dry jacket.  I was also a bit tired, with sore legs and just a tired feeling.  While the total distance will be a half marathon by days end, the continual starting and stopping was taking its toll.  After changing, I headed out to the starting area to see if I could find a few friends, but only running into the guy I met at the Festival 5k.  Unlike the last race, there were 1700 runners for this night time race.  To keep things festive, I put on my Frosty hat, because you can never have enough frosty.

The race started on time and up a hill.  To avoid closing most of Fairfax City, the race used the George Mason campus as its course.  It was mostly lit, with a few places that were dark, on uneven asphalt.  I purposely started in the middle of the pack, to allow myself to warm back up, and to keep me from trying to stay with the lead pack.

This didn't work out as well as I had hoped, as the darkness meant a higher chance of tripping over people, and the head/hand lamps people had were very detracting.  After we entered the campus I pushed to get ahead of the middle group to get more space to breathe.  This also allowed me to see the strangest of runners.  With a mile and a half left, a guy passed me at a decent rate of speed.  I then ran into him again a few minutes later walking.  Again he passed at a fast clip, but this time I saw him stop and start walking.  Each time he did this interval, the sprinting became shorter and shorter, until he never caught back up to me.  With a mile to go, I felt tired and didn't want to push hard to the end, so against my inner competitor, I watched as people started to pass me.  Not many did, but those that passed caused a pain in my ego.  As we got to the top of the last hill, you could see the finish line, and at this point, a guy charged past me.  My ego couldn't take it any more, and I sprinted to catch up, then pass him, as well as a few others that had passed me earlier.  So much for keeping a steady pace.

After a piece of pizza and some water, I headed back to the car, as I was freezing.  It would seem I didn't have much energy left to keep myself warm, so tomorrow would be interesting.  Once home, I showered, changed, and Sallie and I headed out for parties.

Some time after 1am, we got home and went to bed, knowing that we would only have a few hours of sleep before tomorrow's race.

New Years Day

Sallie woke up a few hours before the race, with the intent of eating breakfast.  I chose to sleep in, and with an hour left to the race, I got up, changed into my running clothes and headed off.  I was sore and still a bit tired from yesterday, so it was run by feel again.  Our intent was to meet Nate from DTP there, run the race, and then get a drink.

Reston New Years Day 5k

When we got there, it was a bit windy and cold, so we quickly warmed up and headed to the start.  I ran into a bowling friend Chris and his family who were running the race together.  We talked a bit and then each continued to warm up.  Then it was off to the actual start line.  I ran into Shannon Doherty there, and then Coach Tonya from DTP Ashburn.  We talked about, and by the end Tonya pointed out that, even after yesterday, she expected me to beat her.  I disagreed, and started to talk about the Bills with a fellow runner when they started the race.  I should have been paying attention, as I was not a bit behind and in the middle of the pack.  For this race, that is bad because it is crowded.  I quickly picked up the pace to get some room, but it was still crowded as we hit the turn.  Tonya was still ahead of me, and I waved and she went by, point that fact out.

Saying that, I then caught her 3 minutes later.  We chatted for a few and I started to pull ahead.  As we got to the last mile, where there was a water stop, the woman ahead of me decided to get water at the last minute and stopped.  We almost collided and she dropped the water and started running to avoid the collision.  As we rounded the towncenter and up the last hill, I picked up the pace a bit more.  I knew we had a downhill finish, and my legs were warmed up and wanting more, so at the top of the hill I sprinted to the end, jumping to hit the finish line.  Sallie finished a bit later, commenting on how she will never again drink a lot the night before a race.  We then spent time looking for Nate, and when we did not find him, we headed to World of Beer for a New Years Day lunch and beer.

A fun 24 hours of racing, and I look forward to trying it again next year!

Happy New Year Everyone

Running in the Winter...Truly the best time of the year!

Winter is an interesting season.  Most people, when asked about exercise during the winter, talk about the gym, treadmills, and staying inside.  This has always seemed strange to me, as winter is the best time to be outside for exercise, especially running.  I personally think it is truly the best time for a runner.

Running in kilts rock!

Winter brings colder temperatures, later mornings, and earlier nights.  Let's talk about the change in temperature first.  I am one of those runners that sweats a lot.  I also overheat faster then many runners.  During the hot and humid summers of Virginia, I tend to run with as little on as possible, but I can only take so much off before it becomes illegal, and unsightly.


When winter comes, this changes.  One of the benefits of colder temperatures is being able to layer on clothes.  The colder it gets, the more layers you use.  As you get warmer during a run, you remove a layer and continue on.

The cold never bothered me anyway!

While technically there is a limit to the amount of clothes you can put on and still run, today's clothing technology gives a runner many options to stay warm, look good, run like a star.

Me modeling the newest cold gear

The temperature is only one reason why I love this time of the year.  The second is the terrain.  I love running in and on the snow.  Unlike a rain shower, a snow shower is an amazing experience for a runner.  It is quiet and beautiful, as you run through the white flakes as they fall from the sky.

It started snowing, so I went for a run

Difficult Run Bridge, a little icy, earning its name

New fallen snow on a trail.  The best time to run!

The snow is only some of the beauty of the season.  Since the sunrise is much later in the day and the sunset is much earlier each day, runners will experience more evening and early morning runs in the dark and twilight.  This brings a whole new set of color and beauty that cannot be seen during any other season.

With the amazing dawns...

Dawn during a late December run

And the celebration of the many holidays during this time of the year through lights...

It is hard to match the beauty and wonder seen on just a single run during the winter.  It will be cold, it can be slippery (YakTraks fix that), and it may be wet, but you will be in awe as you enjoy that daily run, and wonder why everyone complains about the winter.  There is a reason we call it a dreadmill, and unless it is sleeting outside, I recommend that you wrap up, slap on a good set of smartwool socks and sneakers, and head out to the most wonderful time of the year!  You will experience the same joy as Abie here.

Abie taking in the best time of the year!