2/28/2011

Jason and I present... The virtual Cupcake Marathon!

It's like a marathon, but with a cherry on top!



Jason (Cook Train Eat Race) and I had a Facebook conversation after I posted a comment regarding running for cupcakes ('There'd better be cupcakes at the finish line!'). It was a funny conversation that has led to this announcement (*drumm rolls*).

For about 1 month now, Jason and I have been working on creating a virtual race that fits into the training season for Spring marathons. Our idea was to create a race that would incorporate runners and walkers, marathons and half-marathoners. Let's just say we were focussing on an all-inclusive race focussed on getting people moving in 2011!

Jason and I babbling along about our ideas wound up with us creating the first (virtual) Cupcake Marathon. The rules are pretty simple, but know that whether you finish in 2 hours and 50 minutes (okay, that won't be me!) or 6 hours, that you have a chance to win prizes from some of our sponsors (Bondi Band, Road ID, GU, Hydrapack Gel Bot, and more to come). (We are still working with some sponsors to finalize details and will keep adding as we move along. Hello! More chances for you to win some fabulous prizes!)

So, where do the cupcakes come in? If you enter the race you will be sent three recipes for cupcakes from a cookbook that Jason has purchased. He's tried and approved these recipes! Yum!
Plus, we're still working on a sponsor to actually send out cupcakes if you win. We'll keep you posted on this one!

Now you really want to parcipate, huh! ;)

The facts:

Event dates: March 14th through March 26th (you won't have to run the distance you registered for on one day, you can spread the distance over several days)

Event distances: 1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles / 21.1K) and Full Marathon (26.2 miles / 42.2K). (Please select your distance at registration.)

Proof of participation: Please provide a picture of your Garmin, Polar, Nike+, Treadmill, etcetera showing the miles and the time. Also, please submit a spreadsheet calculating your times (you will be emailed the spreadsheet after you submit your entry).

Prize determination: Will be based on random.org. We'll put a list up later mentioning which items will be there to win for US/Canada participants, and which items will be there to win for the European participants.

Pictures: Please submit a photo with your bib. Just click on the Cupcake Marathon logo to print the bib.

Join join join!!!

Please email me (sillygirlrunning[at]hotmail[dot]com) to register (or in case you have any questions)! You know you want to! ;) You can also go over to Jason's blog and register! Oh, and please add the Cupcake Marathon logo to your blog sidebar! :)

2/27/2011

Dedication

I'm stubborn.

Okay, not the 'I'm right even when I'm wrong' kind of stubborn. I'm the 'If my schedule calls for 16 miles, I will run 16 miles - no matter what' kind of stubborn (exception: injuries - I have learned something in this last year ;)).

And today was the perfect day for being stubborn. Heavy heavy 'not able to breathe' winds (freezing!). Lots lots lots and lots of rain (pouring down - literally). The weather forecast actually rewarded today's weather with a 1 / an F. Not the kind of weather that talks you into going out for a run. But my schedule called for 16 miles.

Ready? This is what this Heidi Klum look-a-like (okay, I'm being sarcastic here...extremely sarcastic) looks like after 16.3 miles / 26.1K in the pouring rain. Not a pretty sight. I was soaking wet. Even my undies were soaking wet. Not to mention the amount of water in my shoes. But guess what, despite of the rain, the cold and the heavy winds - I felt okay. And nope, running 16.3 miles / 26.1K in the pouring rain with those winds, and all by yourself, is nothing like a day in the park. Let's call this run a mental work out. ;)

Luckily you can't see my soaking wet rat's tail / pig's nest in this photo.

So, let me just quote Larissa here: I went out there, in the pouring rain, 'because I don't turn my back on myself'. Enough said.

2/26/2011

Bye bye flappy arms

Further to yesterday's post on the ideal runner's weight and weight training...

...apparently weight training and squeezing some full plank push-ups into your work out regime works...kind of...

Try to ignore me doing the 'goofy - I'm trying to inflate my guns' face.

Okay, I'm no Arnold Schwarzenegger, but compared to how skinny my arms were a couple of months ago... I'm a happy camper! :)

To all the Disney Princess runners out there: have fun! :)

2/25/2011

Weight issues

Runners and their physique. Apparently most non-runners, and even a lot of runners, believe that this is what a 'real' long distance runner should look like:

Photo courtesy of www.paularadcliffe.com
By the way: Paula Radcliffe rocks! Okay, on to what this post is about...

Lean, skinny. Long lean muscles. Nothing too bulky. As one of my co-workers mentioned today: 'You know, the runner type of physique. Slender.'. Okay...

Well, if that's the case, that would imply that I'm not a 'runner'.

Weight

First of all, I'm not skinny skinny. Nothing skeleton-like about this body. At least, not anymore.

When I picked up running in January 2010, and was stupid enough to kick start it by running 16 milers / 25Ks from scratch, I did lose a lot of weight. And I wasn't even overweight to begin with. I was pretty skinny when I started. I lost 11 lbs within 6 weeks. Weighing 116 lbs / 53 kg at 5'9'. That weight was too low for me. I looked unhealthy. Plus, a size 0 was too large for me at that point. Not healthy, at all. But, my body did look like the body I believed a runner should have. So, I figured, that was what was supposed to happen. However, I did not look healthy.

Strange thing about it: I did eat well. Where I probably went wrong is sticking to approximately 2000 calories a day, while I was exercising a heck of a lot more than I did before. Those 2000 calories just weren't enough for me - apparently.

Then I started paying attention to my calorie-intake. I just needed more. I did stick to healthy options, though. And my weight got back up to 127 lbs / 58 kg again. And it still is. Even though my mileage is a lot higher than it was when I picked up running. Plus I'm faster than I was at 116lbs. And I no longer look skeleton-like. Slim, yes. Skinny skinny, no.

And this brings me to building some muscles.

Muscles

Long lean muscles? Nope, never had those, never will. It's just not the way that I'm build.

I did gain a bit of weight by eating more and making healthier food choices. But, what really helped getting the weight back (and getting rid of the 'skeleton' look), is working those weights at the gym. Lucky for me, I don't mind working out, so spending a couple of hours a week doing core work and lifting weights, isn't something that would make me feel unhappy. ;)

The core work and lifting the weights didn't get me the long lean muscles I'd envisioned. Nope. Bulky is the word. I should have known this. Back in my competitive skiing days I had monster quads. I even wore two sizes up in pants, because of the size of those babies. Yep. So, bulky is what happened when I started working on those muscles.

And you know what? I don't mind. Stronger muscles will help prevent injuries (knock on wood!!!) - hopefully. The stronger core improved my running form. I feel better at my current weight. Plus, I look a lot healthier than I did. But, do I have long and lean 'runner' muscles? Am I skinny skinny? Nope. Not at all. And I'm perfectly fine with that.

What are your thoughts on 'the runner's physique'? Thoughts on weight and building muscles?

2/24/2011

Three Things Thursday

1. Lower legs: After Tuesday's run in my Newton racers (not that easy on the calves - note to self) and last night's slippery run (icy, icy roads!), my lower legs are all stiffish again. Ouch! I've already tried if my daily stretching routine would help, but nope, the legs need a bit of extra attention. So, I guess I'll be adding the stretches below to my stretching routine. And maybe schedule a lower leg massage. Any great stretching / de-ouching ideas for the lower legs?
Photo courtesy of Zollberg
2. Fundraising: A couple of days ago I 'announced' that I plan on running the New York City Marathon for Team Hole in the Wall. This is the link to my fundraising page, in case you're curious. Or want to put in a donation. ;)

Huge thanks Jen, Tracy and Ron for helping me raise money and donating on my fundraising page. Just...wow! :) Thanks, guys, this really means a lot to me! You rock! (And yes, Ron, in my book you put the 'rock' in Punk Rock Racing! Don't laugh at me, but I actually got all emotional just seeing the donations.)

3. Lordie: I've heard 'your dog is spoiled rotten' a lot in the last couple of weeks. I honestly don't understand how one could even think such a thing. :) ;)


Look at him, all pillowed up. :) Spoiled? Neeehh... ;)

2/23/2011

Funny little things - the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS

Let's show some Vibram FiveFingers' love!

The Spring 2011 Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS style looks pretty amazing. I'm already the proud owner of a pair of Bikilas - with the velcro strap, and wear those babies whenever I'll get the chance to. The only thing that's keeping me from wearing them at the moment, are the chilly temps and winter weather we've been having.

So, what's the difference between my good old Bikilas and the Bikila LS: the Bikila LS actually has laces to adjust the fit. Sounds like something I'd might just have to give a try! (Dear Vibram people, I would be happy to review a pair - please let me know if you need my address to send me a 'review' pair. ;) ;))

On to the stats.

The look

Photo courtesy of Vibram FiveFingers

Yep, Vibram FiveFingers with a lacing system. Apart from the laces they look just like the 'velcro strap' Bikilas. They even have the padded heel section I love so much in the Bikilas.

The shoes have a closed 'speed lace' system.

The Bikila LS sole

I got these stats from the Vibram FiveFingers catalogue:
Photo courtesy of Vibram FiveFingers
- Vibram TC1 Performance rubber: VFF states that this delivers excellent 'foot feel' without compromising abrasion resistance;
- EVA arch: follows the contour of the foot: VFF states that this will reduce weight.
- Bikila Tread design: VFF states that this offers more traction over a variety of surfaces.
- 3mm Drilex covered Polyurethane footbed (thickest under the ball of the foot): VFF states that this offers more plating protection and reduced packing over a sustained period of time.
- 4mm anatomical pod outside design: VFF states that this distributes forefoot impact forces without compromising important ground feedback essential to a proper forefoot strike running form.

The upper

The upper of the 'velcro strap' Bikila is made of stretch polyamide. So I figured the Bikila LS would have the same upper. Uhm, nope. The upper is made of coconut active carbon fiber. I have never heard of that material! VFF explains that this gives the shoes some 'natural breathability'. Now I'll really have to try the Bikilas LS out!

Colorwise, the Bikilas LS come in blue/grey, green/grey and black for women, and in green/grey and black for men. Such a shame that the Bikilas LS don't come in the neon pink and blue/green of the 'velcro strap' Bikilas! But that's just me: I just love those vibrant colors!

And...


Best thing (for messy me, that is)...like the Bikilas, the Bikila LS is machine washable. Hello muddy trails! :)

2/22/2011

Chari(ty) picking

Status: Charity for the New York City Marathon 2011 - picked!

Thanks for your comments and thoughts on my 'which charity to pick' post last Friday! Special thanks to Kevin for offering to help out (Kevin: I only read your comment yesterday - I think I missed it last Friday - sorry!)!

Thanks to all of your advice I picked Team Hole in the Wall as my charity of choice.

Team Hole in the Wall

Team Hole in the Wall generates funds in support of the mission of Hole in the Wall Camps - camps for children with life-threatening diseases. As for the camps, I'll quote the Team Hole in the Wall website:

"Hole in the Wall Camps are magical places where, in a nurturing, carefree, physically safe and medically sound setting, children with serious illnesses can kick back and just be kids.

...

To date, more than 164,000 children from all 50 states and 39 countries have attended Hole in the Wall camps free of charge."

Great cause in my book! :) The costs for one child to spend their vacation in one of the Hole in the Wall camps is $ 3,000 or EUR 2,200. Looks like I've got some serious fundraising to do to help at least one child to have some well-deserved time in one of the camps! And that's where I'll need your help! Every amount of money will help these children!

To visit my fundraising page, please click here. Thanks for helping me raise money for the kids!

2/21/2011

Note to self - the 'Feet' version

Warning: Do not read this post if you're just about to have lunch/dinner. Wait till you have finished eating...

Running 28.4K / 18-ish miles on your 28th birthday = great idea

Celebrating that run with french fries and a milkshake = an even better idea

Picking your new Asics to run that 28K in = not such a great idea...

...hence the blistered runner's feet. I guess I won't be wearing heels this week... ;)


Yep, not a pretty sight. Not a pretty sight at all. I was right about lunch/dinner, huh? ;)

2/18/2011

Giving back

The New York City Marathon and I have some unfinished business.

My plan is to settle this...this year. But I do not want to pay a huge amount of money to one of the international travel partners of the New York City Marathon. I would rather put this money towards charity. Or just run to raise money for a charity.

Can you guess what's coming next?

So, in the last couple of weeks I've been emailing several charities. I didn't hear back from most of them. Even after emailing them again and again...and again. For example: I would have loved to raise money for the American Cancer Society, and even after emailing them the personal story of our family, and telling them that that's the reason why I would love to join their 'Determination' program...no answer. Any advice on getting through their selection process?

Okay, so I haven't heard back from most of the charities, but I did get a reply from some of them. And those replies were extremely nice! Thing is that I need to register soon, and I really can't make up my mind. I've narrowed it down to these three:

1. Team for Kids;
2. Fred's Team;
3. Team Hole in the Wall.

Any advice? Any personal experiences with these charities?

2/17/2011

Three Things Thursday

1. Skirts, skirts, skirts: Runningskirts.com skirts are a life saver in my book: no more chaffing! However, for July's (ultra)marathon, I would like to try a skirt that's a bit more airy and roomy. I've been hearing great things about Moeben skirts for ultra running, but have never tried their skirts.

I think this model is pretty cute:



Has any of you tried a Moeben skirt before? If so: comfortable? And how about the fit? I'm not too sure about the size. A small is a size 1-2 and a medium a size 2-4. How does this convert to runningskirts.com skirt size? (I'm a 1 in the running skirts)

2. Boston: I know the entire blogger's community is blogging and FB-ing (is that even a word?) about it, but still I feel the need to jump on this train. Yep, Boston has changed their qualifying times. Read the announcement: here. I would love to qualify for Boston, and was just getting used to the idea of having to train for a 3:40 full marathon. With the new qualifying times I'd have to run a 3:35 and would still not know for certain if I'd get in or not. And there's where Negative Nancy comes in: am I (what I mean: is this body) capable of running a 3:35 full marathon? It seems incredibly fast for slow me. Thoughts?

3. Happy Birthday to....ME!: My birthday is this Saturday! :) And nope, I'm not telling you how many candles my cake will have on it. ;) In the last couple of weeks friends and family have been asking me what's on my 'wish list'. I've been trying to figure out what I'd really love to have as a birthday present, but can't come up with anything. There is seriously not a single thing that I want/need, that I don't already have. 'Health' would be a great gift, but you can't wrap that in pretty paper, can you. :) I guess this makes me a happy girl. :)

2/16/2011

Running has changed my ways

Over lunch it hit me: running has changed my ways (I'll fill you in on the 'over lunch' part later). I'm not talking about the obvious changes (working out more often, using 'in so much pain' and 'such a great experience' in the same sentence, referring to 10 miles as a short-ish run, etcetera), but the changes you'll notice in your every day life. The changes in you your friends will notice.

Vacation time:

Instead of lounging around at this place:

Photo courtesy of www.bondibeach.com

I'd rather spend the vacation money on a trip to this place:


Socializing:

Instead of doing this on a Saturday night:



I'd rather do this on a Sunday morning:

Warning: blurry picture coming up!
Food choices:
Instead of having this for dinner:


I'd rather eat this:

This is where the 'over lunch' part comes in: I was having this for lunch, when I realized running has changed my eating habits. And yes, that's a low-fat veggie burger. ;)

Saving up my pennies:

Instead of saving up my pennies to buy a pair of these:

Photo courtesy of www.tods.com

I'd rather save up my pennies to buy a new pair of these:

Photo courtesy of www.newtonrunning.com

How has running changed your ways? And nope, I'm not referring to 'I'm able to run 10 miles without crashing now' or 'I own a Garmin now'. ;)

2/15/2011

Who is in? - The 'And yet another Swiss Alpine Marathon post' post

Who's in?

Just watch this (and, yes, I'm fully aware of the fact that I'm risking boring you to sleep with all my Swiss Alpine Marathon talk...my sincere apologies for this one ;)):

I found this clip on YouTube: Courtesy of Schum71
The more I look at clips from the Swiss Alpine Marathon K78, the more I realize that I would really love to share this experience. Fingers crossed - I truly hope that I can make it on my one, but still - sharing it would be amazing.
So, who's in? If things will turn out the way I hope they do, I promise to be a good girl and to wear a skirt - all smiles! :)

2/14/2011

Pace Bunny Galore

It had to be done. It just had to be done. Running buddy A needed to get herself that sub-2 Half Marathon PR. Luckily she also figured 'it has to happen', and gave herself the whole of 2011 to get that PR. Pacer Bunny Galore (a.k.a. moi) figured 'why not start off the year right' - mid February would be perfect for Running buddy A's first sub-2. ;)

Yesterday's race (Groet uit Schoorl Run 2011, Schoorl, The Netherlands) was where it was going to happen. One way or another. :) I figured that if I'd use this half marathon as a marathon pace training run, I could pace Running buddy A to a sub-2 while I was at it. Sounds like a plan! She would probably hate me for most of the race, but apparently that's a pace bunny's faith. ;)

The Start line

Let's just say that we were fashionably late. Hollywood Style. Due to being late, our corrals had already closed. No stress there, there were lots and lots of runners still waiting to cross the start line, so we just waggled along with the rest of them.

Miles 1-5 (1K - 8K)

Beautiful surroundings! I was having a blast! Running buddy A was pushing it, but her pace was spot on! Yeah, baby!

Miles 6-7 (9K - 11.5K)

Half way point. Still feeling great! Running buddy A was doing okay and keeping up the pace.

Miles 8-12 (12K - 19K)

Legs felt great, pace felt great (this marathon pace tempo run thing works!) took my first (and only) energy gel (Power Bar Vanilla). I sort of promised Running buddy A not to mention how she was feeling at this point (better known as 'the events of mile 8-12). Me telling her she's a rock star in my book, didn't help - at all. ;) ;) I'm pretty sure she hated my guts at this point. ;) We dropped the pace, and that helped her to feel a bit better. Luckily! :)

Miles 13 and .1 (20/21K)

The finish line was within reach! My legs, The Foot and The Calf were - surpisingly - still a-ok! Love using a race as a marathon pace run! I could have gone on for another couple of miles! Meanwhile, Running buddy A and I chicked some guys and we crossed that finish line together. :) Best thing about it: Running buddy A killed this race! She finished in 1:57:51. That's a heck of a sub-2! Plus, on the way back - in the car - she was already talking about aiming for a sub-1:55 later this year. Hello, Ms Speedy!

Race Photos 101 - How to mess up race photos two races in a row


Could you tell - by looking at me - that this photo was taken right before the finish line? Yeah, that's what I was thinking... I just need to work on my race photo skills. Again, I look like I'm just cruising along. Embarrassing at least... Now look at Running buddy A next to me: that's how a race photo is supposed to be!

I. Love. My. Newtons. Honestly, I'm ready to marry these shoes! So light!



Eyes closed - or race photo 'Silly Girl Running' style. This 'eyes closed - goofy face' look comes naturally to me - don't be jealous. ;) Running buddy A on the other hand, looks mega speedy!

2/12/2011

It's about me?

Just a quick, but HUGE, shout out to Katye for featuring me in her 'Runs in the Family' series! Thanks, so much, Katye!

Want to read the post and Katye's hilarious comments? Here you go: Runs in the Family - the Dutch edition.

While you're there: read Katye's blog! She's down right amazing: not only is she pretty hilarious, she's also a TNT coach, and raises money for charity! It's on my 'favorite blogs' list, as in...I stalk Katye's blog...and won't miss a post...I'm actually at the point where I'm worried she might ask for a restraining order against me. ;)

2/11/2011

Branding yourself Part Deux

Thanks to speedy Spreadshirt, the shirts have arrived just in time for the weekend!

Just try to ignore the 'just back from a rainy run' frizzy hair. ;)

Only concern: their website states this is a technical tee. However, I noticed it's made of 70% Lycocell, 26% cotton and 4% Elastan. Hmmm...any thoughts on the 'sweat wicking' qualities of Lyocell?

2/10/2011

Three Things Thursday

1. Running skirts for Spring: Hi, I'm Christel and I'm a running skirt addict. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. It's a healthy addiction, right? Right? I copied those two 'preview' photos for the Spring/Summer line from the runningskirts.com Facebook-page. Cute prints!

Photo courtesy of www.runningskirts.com

Dear Running Skirts twins, when will the new Spring/Summer line come out? Please, please let it be soon. :) Pretty please?

2. Marathon training: Marathon training is somewhat different when you're just coming back from an injury. Slowly building the miles. Not janking it to 50 miles a week in week 1 post-injury. Lots of cross training. Honestly, it's hard - mentally. I constantly feel like I'm not putting in enough miles. I know I'll have to build my mileage slowly. I know I've been hitting the bike and the pool. But still, it's hard. Plus, I'm scared sh#t of getting yet another injury. Not the easiest marathon training cycle up to date. Enough said. Any thoughts or advice on this one?

3. Throwback Thursday: Moi. 9 years old. Cross Country skiing. Very fashionable 90's headband with matching fluorescent blue tights. And those sunglasses... Who needs Prada when what you could have is a Carrera Original?
Lesson learned: you should stick to the cross country slopes, and not take your cross country skies out onto the regular skiing slopes...

2/09/2011

Safety first, fashion statement...last

Who ever said that less is more, was out of his mind and not a runner. Fact.

My outfit for last night's run: Pink & Orange combo. Paired with a headlamp. Even if you'd have tried, you couldn't have missed me out on the cycling path. I even received a compliment from a police officer on 'being brightly dressed'. Ha! ;)


Yep, matching arm sleeves.

On a more serious note: I was surprised (again) to find lots of runners on my route that were dressed in all black running gear (with head phones on!), and without any light on them whatsoever. You might as well write 'Roadkill' on your forehead, in my opinion. Safety first!

2/08/2011

Silly Girl Running says...

..."There'd better be cupcakes at the finish line!" TM

Branding yourself



At last Sunday's race (well...uhm...long run in disguise...) I spotted several runners with the name of their blog on their shirt. Some of them had a more creative approach on branding their blog than others. Needless to say that I only remember the 'creative' ones. And I googled their blog the minute I got home. Apparently branding yourself works.




And while I was googling those blogs and told a friend of mine how I'd found out about those blogs, this is what she said:

But, wasn't it just about running? When did the whole branding yourself thing become an issue?

Uhm, yeah. She's right. It is just about running. She got me thinking, though. My point of view: the branding yourself / your blog thing depends on what you want out of your blog, and on how you look at yourself as a blogger/runner. Do you want to put yourself out there?

You know what: I'll just give it a try. It might get me some new followers to my blog. And I might risk being called 'vain'. What I did is design a shirt to wear at an upcoming race (fingers crossed that I won't get injured again!), and I'll just wait and see what the feedback is going to be. :)




Front says: Silly Girl Running says: There'd better be cupcakes at the finish line!


Back says: I'm just a Silly Girl Running

What's your take on runners/bloggers branding themselves?

2/07/2011

Race photos 101 - How to mess up race photos

1. Chat your way to the finish line. There's really no point in speeding it up. Why would you? You'll look slow: guaranteed.

Just cruising...Ladieda

2. Close your eyes and work that goofy face. And mess up your running form while you're at it.
Worst thing about this photo: the photographer actually has this photo on his website - right next to the photo search form... i.e. for everyone to see... Great. Note to self: must find way to sue photographer for using bad photos...
3. Continue to keep your eyes closed, and put some effort in trying to look like you're speed walking. Way more 'bad @ss' than trying to look like a runner.
The skirt might actually be the only 'good' thing about this photo. ;)
The Race
On a more happy note: I 'raced' (well, ran, since I used the race as a long slow distance run - 2:44 hours) 17.2 miles / 27.5K (Midwintermarathon Apeldoorn, the Netherlands) without too much pain in my left calf/left foot. It was hard not to get all excited and race this thing. I religiously kept my pace at 9:30 miles / 6 min/km. Just as the pace should be for a LSD. Not too bad. Plus, I chatted my way through those 17.2 miles / 27.5K. What a great way to end the weekend. :)

2/05/2011

Wanted: Muddy trail

The new kicks, right out of the box. Replacing my (re)tired GT-2150's.

I'm off. Looking for some muddy trails. ASAP!

2/04/2011

Barefoot Bonanza

I'm pretty much ready to marry my Vibram FiveFingers. Yep. Don't believe me? Check out this post here and here. I wear these babies all around town. Even in this freakishly cold winter weather we've been having. Thank the running gods for Ininji socks! :)

And guess what? Apparently there's no stopping this minimalist shoes train any time soon! Spring and summer running weather is just months away, and there's already a barefoot buzz going on on the runnersworld.com forum and the running news websites. I'd like to share the shoes that seem 'I need to try these on' to me. :)

Inov-8

I'm a huge fan of Inov-8 trail running shoes. You can check my review on the Inov-8 Terroc 308 trail running shoe here.

This Spring the new Inov-8 Evoskin will be available for barefoot junkies all over the world.
Inov-8 Evoskin.

Yep, they look like my beloved Vibram FiveFingers. However, they don't have the FiveFinger specific Vibram sole to protect your feet from rocks, glass, etcetera. The Evoskin seems more like something that covers your feet. Actually, it's just a layer of silicon that covers your feet and separates you from the ground. Interesting little shoe, that I would love to try out. Not necessarily to run in, but it might be an airy shoe for summer. I'm a bit worried about the 'sweat'-part, though. I wouldn't be surprised if my feet would sweat like nobody's business in these silicon honeys (okay, that sounds wrong on so many levels...).

Vivobarefoot (Terra Plana)

The Vivobarefoot Evo shoe isn't as 'new' as the Inov-8 Evoskin is, but it is new to me. Looking at it, 'lizard' is the first word that springs to mind. Don't know why... ;)
The Vivobarefoot Evo.

It kind of reminds me of the Nike Free 3.0. Kind of. According to their website, the Vivobarefoot has 'a super thin (4 mm) puncture resistant sole...'. The 'puncture resistant' part is something that could very well come in handy for a barefoot running shoe. Ha! Plus, the website states that the shoe 'let's your foot move like it's supposed to'. And the shoe looks comfy. I'm intrigued. Anyone tried this shoe? If so, please share!

Merrell

Good old Merrell. Their hiking shoes are right up there on my 'all time favorites' list. And now they've come up with a barefoot running shoe. Me likey! :)

Like the Vivobarefoot Evo shoe, the Merrell barefoot shoes have been available for a while now.

The Merrell Barefoot Pace Glove

This shoe doesn't look 'weird-ish' like other barefoot running shoes do. It looks like a 'regular' trail running shoe. The shoes have a Vibram trail glove sole and a microfiber and mesh upper. And are super light weight (4.7 ozs per shoe). Plus, you can throw them in the washing machine! Love that. :) I would love to try these out!

2/03/2011

Three Things Thursday

1. Meat: As part of a healthier life style, I've been reducing my 'meat-intake' in the last couple of months. I eat a lot of fish and veggie-burger-thingies, so I'm okay protein-wise. Yesterday at dinner, I realized that my meat-intake is reduced to once every two weeks at dinner and 2 or 3 times a week for lunch (a pastrami sandwich, etcetera). Not too bad! :)

2. Canicross: For those of you that are new to my blog, or do read my blog but missed all of the canicross posts (I can't blame you...seriously...I still can't believe that my mom isn't my only follower...), I love canicross! Canicross being running with your dog, or two dogs. What it looks like? There you go:

This photo was taken in May 2010.

You know how you sweat during a run? So does my dog. He's all wet and sweaty when we get home after a run. And there's the catch. I don't always finish the run and immediately hit the shower to warm up. Sometimes I'll just hang around and have a drink with running friends. Or, on vacation, I'll have a drink at an (outdoor) bar afterwards. And I get cold. And throw on a sweater to warm up. My dog doesn't have one, and his (wet) fur won't keep him warm. And the temps are still pretty frostbite-ish out here. So...I've bought my dog a thermo coat (not the 'fancy' dog coat kind of coat, but the type of coat they use for sled dogs...real bad @ss! ;)).

He doesn't look too comfortable in it yet...

3. Throwback Thursday: 2003. My University days. Sorority Prom night. Make-up faux pas...

2/02/2011

Silly Girl Running goes... Superhero?

"Sous le ciel de Paris
s'envole une chanson..."

Paris marathon in 2 months. Well, at least, that's the plan. Yikes! Part of that plan, due to The Calf and The Foot, is racing (uhm...running) it for fun. Anything 4-ish hours will be fine. No crazy BQ-attempts on this one.
And since I plan on running it just for fun, why not dress up as a superhero while I'm at it? That's the appropriate thing to do, right? Right? ;) And that's where your opinion comes in. Which of these superheroines would have your vote?

photo courtesy of www.filmtotaal.nl
Wonderwoman. There has to be a way to make that top marathon ready...

Photo courtesy of www.animecosplaykelowna.com
Marvel Girl. Green running skirt, green top, plus...I'm a redhead! ;)

Robin. The green running skirt would also come in handy on this one.

photo courtesy of www.fancydress99.co.uk
Mrs Captain America. The mask looks like something that I could replace with a Bondiband.
photo courtesy of www.latinoreview.com
The Flash! The mask will be way too hot, but there has to be some way to fix that!

2/01/2011

January Recap stats

I can't believe it's February already...

Miles/km planned / ran: 150 miles/240K planned / 70.8 miles / 113.4K ran (I was forced to take two weeks off from running due to The Foot, and forced to take it slow when I could give running a try again)

Rest days planned / taken: 9 / 8 - thanks to cross training a lot! :)

Highest mileage week: 33 miles / 53K (again...due to The Foot)

Long runs planned / ran: 5 / 3 (yep...stupid foot...)

Pace workouts / speedwork planned / ran: 4 / 1 (this is getting boring...The Foot...no speedwork!)

Crosstraining workouts planned / taken: 4 / 11

Donuts burned: 72

Current shame-inducing guilty pleasure: Uhm....am I this boring? I can't come up with one single shame-inducing thing to share...

Current obsessions: Shrimp curry and french cheese

Current drink: Fennel tea and the good old diet coke (again...bad girl!)

Current song: Katie Perry - Firework - I can NOT get this song out of my head!

Current need: New running shoes. My good old GT-2150's look tired...and ready to retire...

Current triumph: Keeping my chin up through this injury rut I've been in lately and kicking cross training (cycling AND swimming) into gear! Hello, I didn't even like swimming!

Current bane of my existence: This injury rut I've been in...

Current blessings: Those early morning runs with my dog.

Current excitement: Don't start me on this one! Uhm... Swiss Alpine Marathon?