Totally wired!
Posted By Jon in Michigan on June 27, 2004
Yesterday was my 5 mile run at the park. What fabulous weather! About 70F with mostly clear skies with a bunch of puffy white clouds just floating along. There’s enough shade on the trails in places that you aren’t getting roasted while you run, but enough open spots so you can enjoy the sun a little. Apparently, everyone else thought so too because it was a regular circus with all the roller blades, bikes, strollers and a few runners.
I’ve been trying to eat normally before the long runs, kind of like I would before a race so I’m used to having the same things in my stomach. Cereal with banana and raisins, 2-3 hours before. Banana and bagel an hour before. Power Gel right before I run. I like the taste of the gel. Except for that initial blast of air from the packet when you squeeze it into your mouth. Nasty gel air.
I was totally wired for this run. I had my armband radio, my heart rate monitor, my new
Dressing like this is ok. I am training myself to wear the equipment for the longer runs.
The Forerunner did great! Ghosties seemed to have vanished. I had homed it in the other night so it only took about 30 seconds to find the signals again. The distance measurement doesn’t start until you hit the start on the stopwatch. I was glad to have it with me because they had not marked the newly paved path yet and the temporary mileage marks on the grass were not always readable.
It did a perfect job measuring the distance, based on where the temporary marks were. I also realized that I was doing the mileage math in my head wrong on previous runs. I was shorting myself by .2 miles. When the Forerunner gave me a different number than I expected, I went back and checked and sure enough, it was right and I was wrong.
The only time it had trouble was when I was in the woods. The distance measurements were still on the mark, but the pace slowed way down. Drop from 9:40 to 11:30. I was pretty sure I wasn’t going that slow, so I knew it must be the trees. When I came out of the woods, the pace returned to normal and my distance was still correct.
I liked being able to stop the stopwatch right as I hit 5 miles and record the time. For some reason, the stopwatch on the heartrate monitor resumes again as though you hit the lap button and its hard to figure out where the first time mark went. I need simple :) Its very comfortable to wear on the wrist, and they also include an extension for using as an armband, I think. Not sure what else you would use that strap for.
The fuel belt performed well too. It was very comfortable, you just need to make sure its not too tight around your waist/hips. The bottle are easy to get out and back into the holders. The plastic smell and taste are still there and I’m hoping it will go away soon. The only real complaint I have is that the sides of the spout leak where you sqirt in your mouth, so you need to put the whole end inyour mouth so it doesn’t dribble down your shirt. I like the little pocket for holding a gel and my car keys.
I did the full ice bath again after my run. I think this should be standard practice for my long runs from now on. Legs feel good today except for the right shin which is a little sore. More localized icing and wrapping with the ACE-type bandage today.
5.0 miles. HR was up in the mid 160′s, which is higher than I wanted. Maybe it was the hills and the excitement of all the new stuff. Speaking of which, I think I need new shorts.
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