You make me feel like a natural…runner
By · CommentsA few weeks ago my brother came to visit and in between the home projects we had him do (by the way I highly recommend having a handy brother), we managed to squeeze in a 10k. When we were at the expo picking up our waaay too big t-shirts and race numbers my brother started checking out some running shoes at the shoe store booth. Now I was in no mood to buy new shoes because I’m pretty faithful to my current ones, I’ve been wearing Asics for years. But I was intrigued by the sales pitch and also…they had me at pink.
The shoes are from Ecco, they are called Biom. My brother is excited because he tells me “Torbjorn Sindballe wears Ecco and forever you couldn’t get them.” And yeah, I’m a geek, I know who he’s talking about (he’s a pro triathlete, recently retired). What’s the sales pitch? Well it’s interesting because I was just telling my brother about how I’d read that in the last 20 years or so when there’s been so much focus on running shoes and creating cushioned and motion control shoes, there hasn’t seemed to be a decrease in running injuries. So, some experts posit perhaps our shoes are doing more harm than good. What Ecco has striven to do is create a shoe that works with your natural gait. As opposed to being part of the barefoot running movement they are initiating what they call more “natural” running. I’ve been wearing them a few weeks now so for what it’s worth, here are my thoughts.
Overall I really like these shoes. Ecco recommends you get used to them gradually, over a six week period. The rationale is that because the shoes force you to run a more “natural” way, you are using muscles differently. I believe it. After I run in these shoes I can feel it in my legs. Not in a painful way but definitely in “boy that worked my calves” way. After a few weeks I feel it less but my legs feel differently after a run with these shoes than with my others. You know how sometimes you feel like your shoes are make of cement? I’ve never had one of those runs with these shoes. They don’t feel significantly lighter than my other shoes but I feel like there’s more spring in my step. Here are some key thoughts if you are considering these shoes.
- They aren’t cheap. I got mine for 25% off and they still cost me $160. BUT, they are made with polyurethane instead of EVA which is what pretty much all other running shoes are made of. EVA degrades over time and that’s why your shoes only last so many miles. Consequently, you can get more miles out of the Biom. The salesperson told us 2-3x more miles, Ecco says about 1.5x. They include an extra pair of insoles because they say the insoles will wear out before the shoes do.
- If you are used to running in a really cushioned shoe, you will notice the difference right away. It’s not like running with marshmallows in your shoe. I’m used to a really cushioned shoe, with these shoes you feel foot hitting the pavement more. It’s not painful and it doesn’t make my feet sore, it’s just a different feeling. I think it makes you feel more connected and aware of your stride.
- Did I mention that the women’s ones are pink?
- They have European sizing so you may have iffy luck ordering over the internet if you haven’t tried them on before. I hear they run a little big. I got a 37 and I wear a 6 in street shoes and a 7 in running shoes.
- I know it’s all mental but I am more motivated to run when I wear these shoes. But whatever gets you out there!
- You can get them in mesh or yak leather. Yes seriously, yak leather. They figured out a way to process yak hides from the Himalayas. The reviews I’ve read from those who’ve tried the yak leather one say that it feels like wearing butter (in a good way).
I’m sure these shoes aren’t for everyone but so far, I’m a convert. I’m going to run the Nike Women’s Marathon in October and I plan to train for it in these shoes. Perhaps I’ll look forward to 20 milers now!
Whether you have new shoes or not, here’s something for your running mix to put a little spring in your step. It’s by She & Him, my current fave in my ipod.
The working running mama
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My friend Sandy who is also a working and running mama emailed me to ask recently, how do make time for running? This is really a bigger question I think, which is, can you have it all? I’ve been a stay at home mom and a working mom and I really don’t think you can have it all. You can’t have everything you want, the way you want it, when you want it without some sacrifices (like, ahem, updating your blog). We all have the same finite amount of time available in each day. When we have more demands on that time, we need to really figure out what things are most important. For me running is one of those important things so I will make time for that before a lot of other things.
But I’m lucky, I work from home so it’s easy for me to go for a run on my lunch hour, which is what I do nearly every day. But for moms like Sandy, it’s trickier but not impossible. Here’s a few ideas on how to fit in running when your time is squeezed.
Stock Up – I know that when Friday rolls around all we can think about is relaxing. But the weekends are a great opportunity to load up on your workout time. Try doing half of your weekly mileage on Saturday and Sunday. Do two long’ish runs – between 6-8 miles each day. Then you can squeeze in just two shorter runs during the week and still have a decent mileage base.
Get up and Get Moving – I am not a morning person. I am not cheerful or all that nice when I get out of bed. But I must concede the point that when I run in the morning, it wakes me up and sets the tone for a great day. I really do feel more energized all day. If you get up earlier and get your exercise done then you don’t have to worry about it the rest of the day and when that end of day fatigue sets in, you can just give in and go to bed early guilt free.
Buddy Up – Especially if you are going to run in the morning, find a running buddy. Check out the running clubs in your area, a lot of them have message boards to find running buddies. Or check out seemommyrun and see if there are any mom runners in your neighborhood. If not, start your own group on seemommyrun. If your office has workout/shower facilities ask around and see if there are any runners who might want to join you for a lunch time run.
Splitsville – Breaking your run into two chunks might make it easier to squeeze in. Run 15 minutes in the morning (hey, you’re going to shower anyway, right?) and 15 minutes after you get home from work. Throw your munchkin in the jogging stroller and spend some time talking about her day. If you have older kids get them to ride their bikes along with you. Or better yet, find a park or attraction that’s about a 15 minute run away, run to the park and play, then run home. You get to spend time with your little one and you get a workout.
Taking time to exercise even if it means time away from your kids, is worth the sacrifice. You are showing yourself and your kids that you and your health are important.
Here’s another French group for your running mix, but they sing in English and they are quite awesome. This song puts a spring in my step when I’m running, I really like it for the long hill to my house that I have to tackle at the end of every run.
Better to see you with my dear
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My daughter discovered fairy tales recently so we’ve been reading one every night, most recently little Red Riding Hood. So the phrase “the better to see you with my dear” has been stuck in my head. So you’ve heard that carrots are good for eye health right? They are, the lutein in carrots helps prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. And carrots are full of vitamin A which is a good immune booster. I like carrots, my little one has never really been a fan. Occasionally she’ll eat grilled carrots (we do lots of grilled veggies) but it’s not consistent. Last night I decided to try the Barefoot Contessa’s roasted carrot recipe for something different.
If you are looking for a new way to cook your carrots, try this recipe! It only takes 20 minutes and the roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots without any added sugar. Unfortunately, the wee one was feeling under the weather so she didn’t eat any. My husband and I however, devoured them all.
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients
- 12 carrots
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
If the carrots are thick, cut them in half lengthwise; if not, leave whole. Slice the carrots diagonally in 1 1/2-inch-thick slices. (The carrots will shrink while cooking so make the slices big.) Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan in 1 layer and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until browned and tender.
Toss the carrots with minced dill or parsley, season to taste, and serve.
Here’s something for your running mix now that those carrots have helped your vision!
Hotel gym jackpot
By · CommentsHave you ever looked up a hotel gym online before a trip and the place looked awesome and then you get there and there are 3 machines and you are pretty sure that the photograph online was some sort of mirror trick? Well I had the opposite delightful experience at my hotel this past week. The gym was killer! They had like 8 treadmills in addition to the many other cardio machines. I felt quite virtuous because I stuck with my plan of working out on my normal schedule (I always take Mondays off) and was able to do 3 miles each day on the treadmill. And I HATE the treadmill, in case I haven’t already mentioned that 1,000 times. But I’ve created a speed workout for the treadmill that gives me a good workout. Try it if you are like me and desperately need treadmill motivation.
3 mile workout. Start at around your normal pace. Every .5 miles increase the speed one tenth a mile in speed (e.g. 6.8 mph to 6.9 mph). The last .5 mile increase the speed every tenth of a mile and the last tenth of a mile increase about 5 notches. It’s a short but intense workout and speedwork isn’t something I do consistently when I’m running on my trail so it’s a good change of pace for me.
Here’s another thing I discovered and where being a mom comes in handy. What to do with those stinky workout clothes? You don’t want them stinking up your clean stuff in your suitcase or the stuff you don’t wash as frequently like sweaters. Solution – wet bags! These are bags used for wet diapers, baby clothes, potty training mishaps, etc. They are lined with a waterproof material so the moisture and stink is contained. They are also great for wet swimsuits. I bought mine from this etsy buyer, I love the ones I bought and the seller shipped pretty quickly, there are lots of etsy options if you just do a search.
This is from my new fave singer, Ray LaMontagne called Hold You in My Arms which after missing my little one this week was all I wanted to do when I got home. So I didn’t mind much when she woke up at 3 a.m. and needed some nighttime cuddles.
