Nike Free & The Hippy Hippy Shake

Conveniently today, when I was dreading putting on my running shoes, Nike sent me an email to let me know that their New Nike Free 5.0's are soon to be released. As of right now, they can only be personalized and bought, but I am sure that they will release the base models right shortly. Of course, after reading this email. I did some more research on shoes and according to Runner's World, the new Free 5.0 comes in a very close second to the Saucony Trainer.

The 5.0's offer light weight barefoot running, with cushioning, traction and underfoot protection. They come with Flywire cables, a series of resistant straps that become the eyelets, in order to hold the shoe laces in place and provide a snug fit. The Free 5.0's are also Nike+, so if you use Nike+ with your iPod or iPhone or any of their sportwatches or bands, these shoes are completely compatible.

Naturally, I went and designed my own pair.

OK, enough about that!

It was a gorgeous day today so I had to get out, soak up some vitamin D and get my walk on. My toes do not hate me so much anymore. I believe it is because I now have calluses on both of my baby toes. My Reebok's still have not relaxed - making me believe that they aren't in fact real leather. Go figure.

So, I put on my shoes and hit the pavement. My time/pace has definitely increased. When I first started this journey, then found the treadmill at the Community Center, it would take me 3 & 1/2 songs on my iPod to go from my house to the center. This morning it took 2! Brilliant (yes, I know all I really had to do was check my pace on Nike, but where is the fun in that?)

I hopped on the treadmill and walked the fastest time I ever have. See, when I run, it isn't very pretty and I am sure that my 30-60's aren't really helping me. Ah well. But now my hip is a bit sore. Surely because I only wore my knee strap instead of my knee brace. My laziness (I didn't want to take my windpants off in order to put the brace on) is why my hip hurts. No one to blame but myself.

I feel good otherwise.  And I am excited!!!

In June I will be doing the Color Me Rad 5K with the Haley Clan. Thank goodness the kids will be participating... it will give me a reason to not be as fast as everyone else! HA HA!!


Miles To Date: 161.63

500 Seems So Far Away

I am still getting out and getting my miles done, but 500 seems like an awful lot of miles and my tiny amounts added each day seems like I am getting nowhere... fast.

I keep having days where I absolutely do not want to walk. My toes still hurt in my shoes, my knee aches but it isn't anything that Ibuprofen can't take care of. It is cold out so even going to the treadmill seems like a chore - getting bundled up and taking my butt there, to sweat and then walk back home in the cold.

Yet, I keep walking.

My husband pushes me even if he doesn't know it. He is the competitive sort, and I guess some of that has rubbed off on me. I know for a fact that he will accomplish his 500 before I do. He is running his while I am merely walking. Well, to be fair, the treadmill has me running but I am sure if I were to run on ground it would be completely different. Right now I am still ahead of him in miles to date. What a giant pain it is though, that we share the Nike+ shoe pod.

Today it was freezing out. I mean 33 degrees with the windchill of 26! But I made myself go. And I stopped and had a bit of social time with Kat at the shoppette. The conversations we have are hilarious! But then I left and took my butt to the treadmill, like a good girl. Blech.

I wish it would warm up so that I can wear some good loose clothing and not have to worry about all the heavy clothes. And once it warms up I might actually see some pounds drop off of me - not that I need to lose much, but 5 lbs would be nice to say so long to.

Our group seems to have slowed down a bit, but I will start posting more in it, getting others back into it too hopefully. I love their comments, the motivation is amazing.

Miles To Date: 147.81

Nike+ Shoe Pod

I think we have finally figured out the Nike+ Shoe Pod.

It works like a pedometer. Basically, it counts every step you take (when you place your foot on the ground) and converts it to miles. So 1 mile supposedly equals 2,000 steps. What the Shoe pod doesn't do is take into account the height of the person or the inseam of the person.

When using GPS - we are using approximate satellite measured distance. When using the shoe pod, we are using our own foot steps to mark distance. This is why my miles have gotten so high. For every 2,000 steps I take, the shoe pod tracks it as a mile.

The only difference really is about 0.25 miles and my pace looks like I am a beast.

Of course the other difference could also be the fact that I have the shoe pod on top of my shoe, in a ziploc bag, held in place by my shoelaces.

Either way, I now realize that my actual foot step mile is way shorter than the satellite measured mile. Interesting - no?


Miles to Date: 133.95

Shoe Research

I have said several times that I need to do shoe research...

The best shoe for running, in my humble opinion, is Saucony. Lightweight, stability, durability. You want these options and more, Saucony is the shoe for you. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Apparently 9 out of 10 runner's prefer Saucony. (No, I don't have a link for that fact. It is my own assumption from what I have read).

The second best shoe is the Nike Free. Almost identical options Completely different look. Another expensive shoe - however, if you have the Nike+ Shoe Pod, the Free is perfect as it is Nike+ compatible.

After these two, I couldn't find out much else. Some love their New Balance (which used to be the #1 shoe), while others love their Under Armour or Vibram Toe Shoes.

Me? I have decided that Reebok RealFlex are definitely not good shoes... for me.

But I keep on walking.

March Madness

I am not talking about College Basketball.

I am feeling really good about this challenge now. Getting more miles and feeling my muscles respond. I haven't lost any weight, but that isn't the goal.

I have come to the conclusion that I am doing this not only with my husband and friends, but for me. Me in the sense that I will be 42 years old tomorrow. Metabolism has slowed down. I don't want to get bigger as I get older. I need to make sure I stay active so that I don't become an age/obese statistic. I want to be a healthy statistic.

We were going to try a new diet, the husband and I, but thought better about it after hearing what friends had to say about it. So I am going to stick to the 5 small meals a day, proper portions etc. and make hubby do it too. He has also started going to the gym to lift weights. I love it when he has muscle definition - he just better not come home with veins popping out all over the place. Yuck!

My toes - lets just say that I am pretty lucky they haven't fallen off yet. Although it feels like the baby toe nails want to come off. I gave up taping because it was just too much of a pain. The only thing I can do is continue with these shoes and hope that my soaking them in water the other night helps to release the leather some more. Who knows.

Miles to Date: 117.28

Not a Leap Year

The last day of February.

Since my last post, I have hit the treadmill three times and walked the pavement once. What a difference. I am also trying to figure out the Nike+ shoe pod.

I use a Nike Sportwatch with GPS to track myself every time I walk, so for the treadmill the shoe pod has to be used. No GPS right?! lol It is giving me an insane pace rate, but mileage is still good. Well, there is a slight difference, but I think that has to do with the fact that I have short legs so I take more steps than the average person.

So, the treadmill. It is amazing how good I feel while on it and after being on it. My body is getting used to it so I am sure the feeling like I am still moving thing will pass. I actually work up a good sweat and I have started trying to run. Yes run!!! Right now I am only doing 30 - 60's, but it is better than nothing at all. And my toes being taped up helps. They are still killing me though.

This is the treadmill I use. I love him. I made him male because when I feel like I can't continue, he won't let me stop! lol

I told him: "I love you"
He replied: "Press Quick Start"

He's such an automaton! Ha!


Miles to Date: 106.92

Breaking through

Well, this week has gone much better than the past week and a half. My toes still hurt, a lot, but I am ignoring it as best I can. That and I decided to tape my baby toe to my second toe, and it is actually helping a bit.

This week I found a treadmill!!
At my Community Center no less!

I don't know why I didn't think about this before.

Funny thing, a treadmill. I can go for what seems like hours on it and not even find myself tired. That is until later on in the evening. I went twice so far, and boosted the heck out of my miles. I actually did 8.33 miles yesterday alone!!!!! I am in love!

And the treadmill doesn't seem to bother my knee so much as the pavement does. Of course I still get that little bit of swelling from exertion but nothing I can't handle.

I feel the need to repeat, I am in Love with a Treadmill! Ha!

Miles to Date: 91.24