Fracturing Rocks and The Perks of Running Small Races

I ran in capris this morning - I can't remember the last time it was cool enough for capris. It was pretty exciting.

It was actually cold in our house this morning. Just ask Buddy.

We no longer have a dog, just a blanket that moves occasionally.

There's a big rock in the yard that's in the way of construction. Rather than spend a ton of money to have an excavator come dig it out, Tom bought this crazy stuff called Dexpan that expands as it dries and fractures rock.

He poured it into several holes that were drilled into the rock yesterday, and this morning there were definitely cracks!

The cracks grew more by this afternoon, and then Tom went to work with a couple of metal wedges and a sledgehammer.

He pulled these chunks off. The chain is there because those pieces are so big he dragged them out of the hole with the Jeep.

Now it's about half the size it was. There will be another round of Dexpan to try to break it down even more.

The really weird thing is that the Dexpan crumbles in your hand once it's dry. I have no idea how a crumbly powder can fracture rocks.

In other exciting news, my GU supply has been restocked.

Plus there are 25 GUs in the box and there are only supposed to be 24, so I win.

I also got the Oatmeal's book on running.

I already read a bunch of it, and it's hilarious.

Oh, and I didn't share this here yet - apparently my finish time was enough to place 3rd in my age group on Sunday!

It pays to run small races ;)

Running Math and Headstands

Long run days are all about me whining. 5am is early! 18 miles is far! I'm so hungry!

I was up dark and early for my 18 miler today. The morning started off as most mornings do: with coffee and an english muffin. It was actually a little cooler out, but check out that humidity!

.

I felt good for most of this run, and I was pretty sure that it was flatter than the areas I have been running lately. As an added bonus, I ran near a park/campground and had bathroom access. It's the little things. 

I took a couple of Huma gels (mangoes and strawberries) and a GU (strawberry kiwi - not my favorite) with me in my hydration pack, and I really liked the Huma gels - they weren't that sickly sweet that some gels have. I don't usually take fuel all at once, I take small amounts over the course of a mile or so.

Due to running math (which is almost always wrong), I had to run past the house to hit my mileage. Then I didn't turn back when I should have, so I walked a half a mile after I made it to 18 miles.

I did my usual collapse on the floor/ground when I got home.

And I learned that the area I ran was decidedly not flat.

I sat out in the yard with Buddy for a bit while I cooled down.

This wasn't today, but I've been paying upside down a lot lately. I'm trying to get a bit of a backbend going, but it's harder than all those yogis on instagram make it look! ;)

Is it hilly or flat where you live?

Runner Holiday Gift Guide 2014

I'm not going shopping today. Becky + pushy crowds is not a fun combination. So instead, I thought I would give you some gift ideas for the runner in your life (or to give the non-runner in your life some ideas).

Socks - You can never have enough socks. My current favorites are my Balega socks.

Tom got them for me for Christmas last year, and they're always the first ones I wear after laundry day. I want to try out these Pro Compression Runner socks one of these days, too!

Arm Warmers - Ok, so these are more fall/spring gear, perfect for those in-between weather days where you don't want a coat but it's too cold for a tank top, but they would make excellent stocking stuffers! These Oiselle Arm Warmers would do the trick - and they're SO soft!

Lip Balm - Not everyone is as addicted to lip balm as I am, but it's wintry and cold out, no one likes chapped lips! Plus make sure to get one with SPF because the sun is still out there, even on cloudy days.

Shoes - do they have a favorite? Most runners have a favorite brand/shoe. Do a little spy work and make sure to get the right size. My favorite right now are my Mizuno Wave Sayonaras.

There's always gift cards if you're not sure.

Snacks/Fuel - Runners love snacks. That's a proven fact, and hello stocking stuffers! I know you see them crammed in your cabinets, everyone has their favorites. My favorite fuel right now includes Nuun, GU, and Clif shot bloks.

Seriously, pretty much every runner I know would be happy with an edible gift!

GPS Watch - For as basic as our actual needs are for running, runners love gadgets! Right now I have the Garmin Forerunner 10. It's pretty basic, but it works really well and gives me the stats that I really need.

I currently have my eye on the TomTom Runner Cardio which has an integrated heart rate monitor (no chest strap!) and all the stats I could possibly ask for.

Also: Pro Compression just came out with compression tights today! I'm just saying...

What's on your wish list?

---------
This post contains affiliate links

Car things, running and shopping

I was up bright and early this morning to take my car down to get its inspection. New York has a yearly safety/emissions test that all cars have to pass. I also had a slow leak in one of my tires that I've been alternating between ignoring it and adding air when needed. Apparently there was a screw in it. Whatever.

Then they called to tell me my brakes were worn down to practically nothing. Since I kind of need those, they went ahead and fixed that.

I spent some quality time with the treadmill - 7 miles - and watched my usual Gilmore Girls. It's a habit.

And I tried out the root beer GU.

Not my favorite. Don't get me wrong, it pretty much tasted like root beer (though slightly off), it just seemed wrong for it not to be carbonated. Needs more bubbles!

Tom and I are going to a semi fancy dinner in a couple of weeks, and I had absolutely nothing to wear (because all I wear are running clothes or jeans), so some shopping was in order.

I was expecting to have to try a few stores, but I actually found a dress at the first place I stopped. Can I just say, there are a lot of really ugly clothes in stores right now. It can't just be me, right? There's some really strange trends happening.

I tried on 5 dresses, which ranged from "hahaha - no" to "the dress."

Some hahaha - no's for you:

I ended up getting this one in black. But I got it at TJ Maxx, so it was way cheaper. I don't have a picture of it yet, (because I was making a really weird face in the picture I took and deleted it) but eventually there will be pictures. My mom has already demanded photos of Tom and I all dressed up, so it's going to happen.

There have been a few unsuccessful attempts to find some dressy shoes the last few days. I got rid of most of mine during the great packing purge when I moved from Oregon to Alaska and everything had to fit in my car. I found these on Zappos.

Hopefully I got the right size, but even if I didn't, Zappos is so fast, I would still have plenty of time to get the right ones.

How often do you dress up?

- Once or twice a year, max.

Would you rather dress up or stick to casual?

- Casual! In fact, where are my pajamas?

Trail running and post-run math skills

I woke up bright and early to meet up with the group this morning. I was pretty excited to find leftover pancakes in the freezer because I was out of English muffins. I heated some up in the toaster and topped them with peanut butter.

I don't know where everyone was today, but it was a smaller group than usual. We went at a pretty good pace, I love that faster paces are starting to feel easier.

I left my sunglasses at home, so I drove over with my weird free sunglasses that everyone got when Pitbull came to Kodiak last year (or the year before). It was a whole thing.

I took a short break at home, took a Salted Watermelon GU (which Tom tried, he was not impressed), and drove back to Rockefeller State Park with Tom and Buddy. The guys went walking while I finished off my long run.

I didn't think too much about my pace until I hit my 4th (10th?) mile, and then I made a conscious effort to stay below a 10:00/mile pace. I didn't do the math until I got home, but I felt like I finished my 13.17 miles for the day in under 2 hours total.

I did.

I did the math right after I finished, so I'm only pretty sure it's right ;)

There was a break in the middle, but it definitely gives me more confidence for my race - 15 days left!

We're relaxing at home this afternoon, and this evening we are headed to New Jersey for the Notre Dame game, which should be a lot of fun!

Hope you're having a good Saturday!

My new favorite GU and Sweat Pink!

First of all, Salted watermelon GU - Why did no one tell me?

I bought a couple when we were out and about the other day and took one with me on my long run Sunday - it was the best thing ever when I took it at mile 6. I may have ordered a box of them later that day.

Maybe.

Now for something pretty exciting -

A couple of weeks ago I applied to be a Sweat Pink ambassador.

Their mission statement:

We believe that kicking ass is best done in pretty shoes. We’ve learned that real women sweat, and sweat hard. We know that assertiveness, strength, and ambition are the ultimate feminine qualities. We concede that sometimes it takes hours to get ready, but we’re also no strangers to just rolling out of bed and going. We’re convinced that we run faster in pink shoelaces. We believe in pushing ourselves, and we believe in giving ourselves a break, too. We’re all about the rush of endorphins and the thrill of the challenge. We’re all for looking great and feeling even better. We’re committed to finding our best fit, and making it stick. We sweat pink.

So, I was super excited to get an email from them today and will soon be getting myself some pink shoelaces! :) I really like the spirit of the Sweat Pink community and I can't wait to get involved in it!

I missed another run today, but it was for a meeting that may lead to something cool, so I'm ok with it. I'm very excited that tomorrow is Friday - it's been a long week.