My review of the Nike+ sportband

So I finally got my Nike+ sport band figured out. After finally figuring out that I accidentally turned off the sensor that goes into your shoe, I finally got my sport band to sync with the sensor. When I first got the kit out and tried to get the sport band to sync with the sensor, it wouldn't work. I kept holding the record button and walking around like the directions say to do, but it would never sync. Later, after doing some mighty google research, I found out that a user can actually turn off the sensor by holding down the little white 'reset' button for 3 seconds. I forgot I had done this earlier, thinking that if I reset the sensor, it would work. Little did I realize, I just had turned the sensor off. So after an hour and getting a little frustrated and declaring the Nike+ sensor technology crap, I got it to work. Hallelujah.

After getting the Nike+ kit to sync, I went out on my first 5 mile run with my new tool. Its great. Its just one screen. A user can toggle through the different readouts to suit their needs. Time, Mileage, Pace, Calories, and Chrono are the different readouts. I love having the data stored in my sport band and being able to upload it to my computer.

The USB 'band' connects directly to a user's computer via usb port. It is easy to use and connects immediately. Before a user starts using the device, they must go to http://www.nikeplus.com/downloads and download the software utility to upload the data from the USB band to the nikeplus website. Once the utitility is downloaded, this is where settings are stored such as time, weight, and date.

I enjoy my Nike+ sportband. If you dont feel like spending 250 on a garmin and just want some basic data about your runs, the sport band is for you. Ive like it so far. Its easy to use once you get it set up. Just push the button and run.

New running to(y)ol.

So tomorrow this little fun device will be coming to me in the mail. It's the Nike+ sport band. WooHoo. I can't wait to try it out. From what I can tell, it's Nike's attempt at a Garmin sport band. I've really not had any luck with the Nike+ for the iPod. I get too sweaty when I run and it's really hard to control my iPod through the arm band when I want to stop/pause, etc. So, if this is like a sport watch, I'm betting this will be a better device. Here's hoping.

Side note: The wife's bday is this weekend and I think she is getting a Garmin sport watch. I hope she gets one. I want to compare!

Tired...

Whats going on? Im not sure. I feel drained lately. I ran 10 miles on Sunday, and to say the least, it was mediocre at best. I felt fatigued, tired, and just, drained. I suppose I tried to come back to early after Cleveland. I got back to running on Thursday after Sunday's marathon. I felt great. I felt strong and back to normal. I think my body is rejecting me now. I feel like I didn't my body enough time off to get back to running. Sorry body.

So tonight I tried out a 6 mile run. Egads it was awful. What is going on? Finally, I just said screw it and sucked it up. I tried to use mind over matter, and that worked for the most part. I pushed through the last 3-4 miles and just ran it. I suppose Ive been thinking a lot lately about things. I guess Ive just been letting my brain get in the way of running.

I am on a new course now. I am running the Rock and Roll Half marathon on August 1, The Akron Marathon in September, and My Redemption Run; The Columbus Marathon in October.

My goal is to shed 10-12 pounds by then. I am 5'9 168-170 lbs. Thats. Too. Heavy. At least its too heavy for me to be a successful runner. I know. I know. It's not all about weight. Hopefully by losing some weight, I will be fresher and lighter for the later miles, and I wont have so much to carry for 26 miles.

So from now on, Im keeping my weight here. I am weighing myself regularly, watching what I eat, running, and hopefully slimming and trimming down a bit in a healthy manner to increase my running stamina. So tonight, for my first weigh in...

168 pounds. Of course. it is. 168 on the nose.

So hopefully here is to happy weight loss and happier running. Overall, I just hope it means less time being tired.

Vitalsox

I like to do product reviews from time to time, and I thought this was a valid one. Yesterday, I wore a pair of Vitalsox on my drive home. Following is the description of the Vitalsox and how it works:

"The Vitalsox Run Sock is a revelation in comfort that starts at the foot you’re your whole body benefits. The doubled-over reinforced cuff keeps the sock from sliding down while you run. Elastic support in arch and foot area coupled with gradual compression truly comfort aching feet and help keep you fresh during and after a workout. A medium-density terry sole and a seamless toe prevent the one thing we’ve all had and dread in a long race, blisters. Made with Softprim: an antimicrobial, moisture wicking fiber, the Vitalsox Run Sock is something you have to experience for yourself!"


I did experience the sock as a recovery sock. I've never worn recovery socks before after a run, and I thought it was great. I could really feel the compression working on my calves, which were quite sore. The compression of the sock during my drive really alleviated a lot of pain. Mrs H. and Jamie each got a pair at the Expo on Saturday, and Mrs. H wore hers after the race immediately, and then I wore them for the drive home. I must say. They worked great!

My thoughts on the 2010 Cleveland Marathon.

Ive thought about it and Ive decided to let you read my friend Jamie's race report over here. She did a great job of detailing the race and I think that I couldn't do the report justice nearly as well as she did. I will however provide my thoughts on the race as I have several of them.

1. If you are going to provide a porta potty street for runners to access, make sure you close off that street. Nothing like potty lines having to fight car traffic. Im not sure why motorists thought they needed to drive down that street, but if you leave a street open, motorists will drive down it. Porta potty lines or not.

2. Pacers. Pacers are important to a race. For those trying to hit a specific goal in a race, pacers are there to help runners reach that specific goal. I will say that the 4 hour pace group wasn't even close to being 4 hours. The 4 hour pacers started off WAY too fast. During the early portions of the race we were hitting at about 9 min. miles and a 4 hour pace should be around 9:09 or so. We stayed behind the 4 hour pacers at the beginning. Im betting that Jamie and I were running the 4 hour pace for much of the race which leads me to believe that we started out too fast. Our plan was to stick behind the 4 hour pace group for much of the race and then work our way up to them in the second half of the race. Well. The second half of the race came and they were nowhere to be found. I am pretty sure they bowed out at 13 miles. Thats a bummer.

3. The route was...ok. I did enjoy the first 9 miles of the race. I have the last few years after the race executives decided that we should run out to the west side through town and come back on the shoreway. The change of the course for us to run through the Tremont area was great. I enjoyed it. I didn't even mind the smell of pancakes and sausage cooking up at one of the local eateries. It was a great little jaunt and the support there was fabulous. We even got to see my in-laws who hung out a local Tremont coffee shop and watched us cruise bye. They really enjoyed it and so did we.

3a. Running along the shoreway has always been an issue with me. Ive always had a mental block running that part of the Cleveland marathon. There is lake. There is wind. There are

really no spectators. There is lake. There is wind...oh. Did I say there was lake and wind? Well, I must say running with Jamie during this section eased the pain. I ran the best through this portion I ever have. I felt good running through it and Ive decided I need a pacer to help me get through this portion of the course in future races. I will have to say, that as fantastic as Lake Erie is to look at, maybe we don't need to run by it during a marathon. Just saying.

4. Support. This race is greatly supported. I want to applaud those supporters who hung out all day and cheered for us. There were two specific groups of people that I noticed at 3 or 4 different mile markers and I made the comment to Jamie and Lindsey that I was impressed that they were still out there. That kind of support is of the highest value. It makes you feel that they are there to support just you. To see the same people through a race makes you feel like you are really making headway and are gonna make it to the end. I thanked these groups of people when we ran past making sure that they new how appreciated they are for sticking it out with us through the day.

5. Fuel. I FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT!!! Yay me. Finally. After three marathons and many half-marathons, I finally got my fuel intake correct. I wasn't hungry at all during the race, I didn't feel queezy at all, and I felt fit and strong through the duration of the race. Im writing down what I did for this race to remind me of what I did to make sure I incorporate the same strategy into my next race. Its been a long failing process, but I finally got it right and I feel great about that. Now...how to fix burning quads.

6. I just want to give a quick thanks to my in-laws. Every year they transport us 30 minutes in the pitch black hours of the morning to get to Cleveland and drop us off. They hang around for us during the race and then make sure we have a ride home. They make sure that we have all we need, they cheer for us, and sacrifice their Sunday morning so that we have an easier time on race day. Cleveland Marathon Sunday has become a family holiday at the in-law's house, and I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else.

7. Plenty of fluid stations. Not once did I ever wonder where a fluid station was. They were there when I needed them and the Hammer Gel peeps were awesome too.

8. The Shaw HS cheer squads and track teams were great. The cheer squads were loud at 19. They sure helped many runners get through the wall. Thanks to them!

9. I want to say thanks to 'Bert and Ernie for being on the Shoreway. Although there is a lack of support out there, Bert and Ernie made it a little easier to trudge on.

10. Overall...The 33rd running of the Cleveland Marathon was a success. A few minor adjustments here and there, and this race could be a real competitor to some of the other great races in the country. The marathon is great for the people of Cleveland, giving visitors a view of how great Cleveland really is. I look forward to running next year!

Recouping...

Just a quick update post-race of the Cleveland Marathon. The race overall was great. We had wonderful weather, great support, and a decent expo. Overall, I would say the weekend was a success. My friend Jamie and I did not reach our goal of a sub-four marathon, but we were close. It was windy, and I think that deflated us a little bit. We ran the whole race otherwise, and I couldn't be happier about the results. I didn't feel hungry during any point of the race, even though my quads are pretty shredded today. That is to be a bit expected from running 26.2 miles in around 4 hours.

Mrs. H made it Germany ok. She is a bit worried about travel about Europe due to the ash floating in the sky over the continent. I am just hoping its not a huge problem come tomorrow and Wednesday so she can make it to Paris from Munich tomorrow. She is a major tough girl. She ran 13.1 miles yesterday and then flew 9 hours to Munich last night. She mentioned that she only got two hours of sleep on the plane. I can only hope that she gets some good sleep tonight. She needs it.

After I heal up a bit and process the weekend in my thoughts, I will get a race report written. I'm going to be a bit busy taking care of things around the house while Mrs. H. is gone. I will be back soon.

Take care.

My friend Jamie and I ran the Cleveland marathon in 4:07. Mrs h ran her half in 2:18. Great job to all those who ran. A race report to follow soon!

Been a while...

Well. It has been a while since I last posted. Look at me though. Usually I get excited about blogging at the beginning of the new year and then drop off somewhere in February. Well, I am now blogging in May. This is a good sign.

Life has been a bit busy. Running, teaching, working, house, wife, dogs, and family have all kept me on the go for the first 5 months of the year. Those aren't excuses, just my reality and I love it.

Sunday is the Cleveland Marathon. To say the least, I am excited to run it. I have dropped about 12 pounds since my last marathon at Columbus in October and I am feeling great. I am not sure how Sunday will turn out, but I feel more fit and prepared than the last time I ran 26.2. I am going to be pacing a friend to see if we can break 4 hours together. It is to be 64 and overcast on Sunday, so it sounds like ideal weather for a leisurely long run. I haven't had much success in Cleveland over the last few years due to my mental block of running the Lakeshore. I hate running the Lakeshore. There is nothing but lake and wind. More lake. More wind. More lake. More wind. Some hills. More lake and then more wind. I was hoping that a course change would somehow have us avoid the dreaded lakeshore...but NOPE! So. I just have to suck it up and deal. Like Lebron should have done in Game 5. I digress though. Lebron is a whole other post that I dont want to get into.

Summer is right around the corner. It doesnt feel like it though. Rainy and overcast have been the staple as of late. It has been decent running weather and the new grass I have planted surely has benefited from the weather. I suppose I shouldn't complain. It could be hot and muggy already. I am running the Rock and Roll half in Chicago in August and then back to Columbus for some redemption. A lot of redemption in fact. I have something to prove there to myself that I can do better. Burning quads..well...suck.

I just want to say a quick congratulations to our friends Doug and Allison who are getting married tonight. I wish them many wonderful days together in the future. I can't wait to see them be joined in matrimony tonight. It should be great!!

Have a great weekend everyone!