Rather than bombard Facebook with my nonsensical thoughts and continuous sharing of other statuses and links that I, and probably I alone, find useful...I've thrown them all together in a random blog feature.
So on Marathon Monday up in Boston, I present another version of the Miles....
Pavement
- Competitor had an article on the importance varying your running surface, a key consideration to avoid overuse injuries. This year I've tried to spend more time on the trails; if nothing else, it gets me away from the crowded highway feeling on the local asphalt paths...on my 8-mile trail run yesterday I saw a snake, a frog, a lone mountain biker, and nary a stroller. Combing that with no watch and no iPod, and it was the most refreshing run of the week.
- Is running with shoes more efficient than barefoot? Depends who you ask (or who's funding the study), because I've seen claims made by proponents of both sides that they offer a few percentage points of benefit.
- Something I've neglected, that I'm now paying for with soreness from cycling, is working on upper body strength. Just because your legs take the beating in running, don't forget the other half.
- Think your marathon photo is bad, you're no Thomas Voeckler. The man wins races, and wore yellow in the Tour de France last year, but he's still almost known more for his race face:
Peaks
- Though my wife and I didn't hike Waimea Canyon on our trip to Kauai in Hawaii, choosing instead to focus on Mai Tais and relaxation, it's been added to my bucket list for a future return trip.
Peculiar
- In the land of customized sports jerseys, it really doesn't get much better than the image below captured by the WaPo blog during the Nationals opening weekend:
Personal
- Lightening the running load this week in preparation for Saturday's 5k and Sunday's half marathon down on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
- Took the next step in cycling gear by purchasing a pair of Look clipless pedals and Specialized cycling shoes, along with a Cateye Strada Cadence computer. Had a good time trying out the new pedals (didn't fall) on a 20-mile ride, and had fun watching the computer go over 30mph on a few downhills.
