Product review: SLS3 compression socks

Back in the day as a staff nurse in a PICU, I had issues with tired legs after spending hours on my feet. We didn't wear supportive shoes back then, usually just sneakers, and so a lot of nurses wore support hose or compression stockings, better known as TED™ hose. These white stockings, with the hole in the bottom, were used in the elderly and post-operative patients to promote venous return and prevent blood clots. There was a knee high model, and a thigh high model. I remember working up a good sweat while trying to put them on my bedbound patients' legs. When I wore them myself, I thought they were pretty darned uncomfortable, especially with that hole in the bottom, but my legs did feel better when I wore them. They were hard as heck to pull on my own legs, too. And what is the purpose of that hole anyways?

I have to say that none of my patients ever had legs that looked like this.
TED™ hose picture courtesy of dhphomedelivery.com

So, of course, when running compression socks became popular, I was interested but a little skeptical. I remembered the difficulty I had pulling those TED™ hose on my own legs, much less my patients. Would compression socks be helpful for running? Would it be worth the effort it took to pull them on? Would I even need to run after the workout I'd get putting them on? I wrote about compression in another post, when I trialled a pair of Lily Trotters. The consensus of most of the commenters on that post was that compression was great for recovery, but feelings were mixed about using compression socks on the run. Research supports this as well.

A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by SLS3 to try their compression socks. As you know, I am a big fan of compression for my feet. I like to wear low socks when I run, and I own a couple of pairs of low compression socks from a few different manufacturers. Since I'm still having some calf tightness, I decided to give the SLS3 a try, and see how I liked them.

Shortly after I agreed to this, I received an email that I won a free pair of SLS3 compression socks from a giveaway on The Running Professor's blog. I was excited about the prospect of owning 2 pairs of these socks, but I contacted SLS3 to check with them to make sure they were ok with this, and they assured me that it was fine. I received one pair of the Butterfly compression and one pair of the AllRounder socks. I couldn't have been happier!

Wearing knee socks makes me feel like a school girl again!

The weather has been pretty cool so far this summer, and I figured that I should take advantage of that and give these socks a spin. I first tried the Butterfly compression socks. I found that putting them on was not a problem. I slipped my foot into the sock and inched the calf portion up my leg. The compression was firm, but not too tight. Dare I say that these felt really good?

SLS3 Butterfly compression socks

On the run, my legs felt light. And after the run, when I had my feet up, I could feel the compression on my calves. It felt good. Here's what the website has to say about the Butterfly Compression socks:

"SLS3 Butterfly compression socks boost blood flow by about 34%. This increases oxygen delivery to the working muscles to enhance their performance. The circulation improvements also help the body eliminate metabolic waste products like lactic acid more easily. The combination of these effects allows you to work longer and harder, delaying the onset of fatigue.

The SLS3 Butterfly compression socks offer more targeted, significant support to the achilles tendons, tibias, calves and ankles, thus boosting the ability to reduce common ankle and foot injuries. 

They are recommended for running, cycling, walking, triathlon, skiing, traveling and lots of other uses. 

The supportive effect and compression of SLS3 Butterfly compression socks reduce muscle vibration drastically, which leads to less soft tissue damage and less sore muscles. Your recovery time will be significantly reduced."

I believe I can fly!

A couple of days later, I received the AllRounders in the mail, and I took them for a spin as well. Just like the Butterfly model, these slipped on without difficulty. My legs felt great on the run, and afterwards, I again put my feet up and felt the compression do its thing to relax those hard working muscles. Here's the 411 about the AllRounders:

"Designed by medical professionals, our new Allrounder compression socks feature softer, special Micro-Nylon, making them very easy to put on while delivering true graduated compression with all its benefits: 

Increased oxygen delivery to the working muscles to enhance their performance. Circulation improvements to help the body eliminate metabolic waste products like lactic acid more easily.The combination of these effects allows you to work longer and harder, delaying the onset of fatigue. 

The SLS3 Allrounder compression socks offer significant support to the achilles tendons, tibias, calves and ankles. They are recommended for running, cycling, walking, triathlon, skiing, traveling and lots of other uses. Their simple, unpadded design makes these socks a staple for everyone's compression needs.
The supportive effect and compression of SLS3 Allrounder compression socks reduce muscle vibration drastically, resulting in less soft tissue damage and less sore muscles. Your recovery time will be significantly reduced."

SLS3 AllRounder

I have to say that I really liked the degree of compression in both these socks (the compression is the same in both models). There is some degree of arch support, but of course, I'd like a little more. Still, I'm not complaining. The SLS3s were really comfortable and supportive. I can honestly say that I will be wearing them a lot during my upcoming marathon training. I'd love to wear them to work, but I don't know how good they'd look with my dresses. If I were wearing scrubs, I'd be wearing them every day.

Both models come in a variety of colors.

Full disclosure: I was given a pair of the Butterfly compression socks to trial and I won the AllRounders on a giveaway both from SLS3. But all the opinions here are my own. Always.

Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask....

How well do you know your bloggers? Back in April, I was tagged by HoHo Runs to answer questions about my running favorites. Apparently, I forgot to do this. I was reminded to do this after reading Tricia's post on Mississippi Piddlin'. She just did hers, so I don't feel so bad. Better late than never, right? I'm pretty transparent here on the blog, you know my motto is what you see is what you get, but I thought it would be fun to answer these questions.

Location: Trail, road, or indoors?

One of the very pretty preserve trails that I can run in the middle of suburbia. Looking over my shoulder the whole time.

I've made it pretty clear in past posts that I loathe the treadmill. Ok, loathe is pretty strong. Let's just say I have a love/hate relationship with my 'mill. The 'mill is there when I need it, which thankfully isn't very often. I'm an outdoors runner, and 99% of my runs are on the road or the bike path. It's really populated where I live, and while I do like to take my runs to the forest preserve, I stick to the paved path. There are a lot of trails through the woods, but I've heard that people do live in those woods. Last week, I saw a Grizzly Adams lookalike come out of the woods. And then there's that whole FP hookup system. I've written about it here.  I just keep my eyes wide open. No matter where I go, if I'm outside, it's all good. Besides, it's way more entertaining than running inside.

Time of day: Morning, noon, or evening?

Running with the sunrise at the retention pond last winter

I am a morning person, and therefore, a morning runner. What a great way to start the day! I like to get a run in before work. And in the summer, it's nice to get up before the sun. Lately, I've had some midday runs that have gone really well, too. It's nice to know that I can be a little flexible. The idea of an evening run is appealing to me, but when I get home from work after a long day in the clinic, all I want to do is drink a glass or 2 of wine. I can't imagine what kind of run I'd have after that.

Weather: Sunshine, mild, or hot?

My slowest, hottest half ever...Zooma Chicago, last summer...

Hands down, I like mild or cooler weather for running. If I had to pick between winter and summer, though, I'd pick summer. I like the warmer weather, even though it really slows me down. I like wearing one layer. I can wear running skirts in the summer. I love running in tank tops. Yep, it's all about the fashion for me. And as much as I love sunshine, in the warmer weather, it's much better to run under the clouds.

Fuel: Before, after, or sometimes during?

Carrying my trusty handheld filled with Tailwind at the Chicago marathon.

My fueling depends on the distance that I'm running. If I'm doing anything under 8 miles, I don't usually have anything besides coffee and water before I head out the door. Over 8 miles, I eat breakfast, which is cheerios and orange juice. I might bring a bottle of Tailwind (affiliate link) along, depending on the time of year and how far I'm going. For some reason, I can run 12 miles in the winter without carrying fuel, but in the summer, I need fuel. After a run, I drink something high in protein. My favorite is Bolthouse Farms chocolate protein (affiliate link) drink. I have yet to find anything I like better. And if I didn't eat cereal before my run, I eat Kashi Go Lean cereal (affiliate link) after the run, which is high in protein.

Accessories: Music, watch, and more?

The Garmin. Because if you don't track it, it didn't happen.

I always wear my Garmin Forerunner 10 (affiliate link) to track my miles. If I'm doing speed work or a paced run, I use my Garmin for that too. I always carry my phone in my SpiBelt (affiliate link), and yes, I run with music. I don't carry any other accessories with me. I should wear sunglasses but I don't.

Rewards: Food, wine, or?

A frothy finish at the CARA 10 miler. Lagunitas IPA. Yum.

My favorite post run reward is a cold beer. Preferably New Glarus Spotted Cow (affiliate link) or a German Weiss beer. Beer just tastes so refreshing to me after a long hot run. I'm not normally a big beer drinker, but this is my reward. And I won't drink crappy beer, like huge brewery lite or wannabe premium beer 69 (or whatever it's called). If I'm going to indulge, it better be good. I am married to a homebrewer, after all...

Type of run: Long run, tempo, intervals, hill repeats, progression,  or recovery/easy?

The drowned rat look after some heat training last winter on the 'mill.

Each one of these runs has its virtues. I love the long slow distance (LSD) run. There are days when I feel like I could go forever. Of course, those are the days I have a shorter run on the plan. But I do love that I can run high miles. Tempo runs are fun, because you get to start out slow, run a few miles fast, and run a recovery mile at the end. Intervals aka speed work are one of my favorite ways to run. I like intervals because there is always a rest period before the next interval. How often do we get to rest in running? Plus it's fun to run fast! And it's rewarding to see those split times decrease over time. Recovery runs are nice, especially the week after a grueling race. And hills? Who needs hills when you do deadlifts and squats with Becky? I'm serious about this. The work she has me do propels me up hills easily. And it's much easier on my knees than running up and down hills for a workout. Oh, and then there's that heat training...

Ok, I get to play tag....and you're it: 

RunningNReading

Run With No Regrets

Run Salt Run

Marcia's Healthy Slice

Adventures of An Amateur Athlete

Runner Girl in A Rocking World

This Mama Runs for Cupcakes

What question(s) would you ask me if you could? 

I'm linking up with Tara at RunningNReading for her Weekend Update!

Feet, don't fail me now!

I've blogged extensively about my foot issues. I've had just about it all...plantar fasciitis, heel spur, black toenails, blisters, stress fractures, and now the dreaded hallux limitus aka arthritis. What's a runner to do? Stop running? My sister has hallux limitus and she's actually considering surgery (joint fusion) so she can wear heels again.

No thank you!

I really try to respect my hard working feet. As a nurse practitioner, I spend all day on my feet seeing patients in the clinic. And as a runner, these feet have a lot of miles on them, both training and racing for over 20 years. Add to that day-to-day activities like shopping, housework, and the like. Earlier this week, I came home from a long day in the clinic and a stop at Target. My husband was preparing dinner and he asked me to fix the salads.

I almost cried. My dogs were barking. I just wanted to get off my feet. Does this ever happen to you?

Luckily, I don't feel this way too often, even after a long race. I really pamper my feet. And in return, they keep me pretty happy.

In the spirit of the Friday Five, where the theme for today is "things I love", I wanted to share five things I do to show my feet the love. Head over to any of their blogs to see what everyone else is loving today! Links are below the logo.

EatPrayRunDC, You Signed up for What?!, and Mar on the Run

By the way, I have a song on my running playlist titled: Feet Don't Fail Me Now by Needtobreathe. Great song for a runner, and even better band name, don't you think? I wonder if they're runners?

"I can't slow down,  I can't get stuck,  I'd rather die than have to hang it up...." from Feet Don't Fail Me Now by Needtobreathe.

Listening to this song on the run helps me channel some energy to my feet, especially when they start to rebel.

5 Things My Feet Love

Morning warmup: Back when I was suffering with plantar fasciitis and my heel spur, my podiatrist suggested placing my feet on the heating pad in the morning to loosen them up. His theory was that the heat would help loosen up the myriad of joints in my feet. I do this every morning while I drink my coffee and read blogs. My feet are very happy when I do this. BEST ADVICE EVAH!

Compression: I don't always wear compression but when I do my feet are very pleased. Recently I was given the opportunity to try SLS3 compression socks (affiliate link). I've got a review and a giveaway coming, but for now, let me tell you that my calves and subsequently my feet like these socks a lot. Back when I had plantar fasciitis, I used some Feetures PF compression sleeves (affiliate link) for my feet. At the time I couldn't walk around barefoot without having pain. Wearing those sleeves helped a ton--probably more than anything else I did because they made walking tolerable.

wanelo.com

Comfy shoes: I wasn't a big fan of heels even in my pre-running days. Now, since I spend most of my workday on my feet seeing patients, I wear Danskos (affiliate link) pretty much exclusively. They're big and clunky but have a certain charm to them. Plus they are oh so comfy. I also have Dansko sandals which are super cute! I purchased them on my sister trip to Las Vegas and I didn't hear one peep out of my feet, even after we spent the day walking the strip. I received a lot of compliments on them, too. Recently, I purchased my first pair of Birkenstock (affiliate link) sandals. I love these because they don't press on my big toe joint, which seems to be an ongoing issue for me. They are my new favorite shoes. Now I know what everyone is talking about...

Massage: I massage my feet after a long run using The Runners Choice oil (affiliate link). I read about this oil on another blog, and decided to try it for myself. The oil contains almond, eucalyptus, eucalyptol, wintergreen, peppermint, and spearmint oils. It feels as amazing as it sounds. Keep your eyes open for a discount code.

My newly pedicured feet on my trusty heating pad. If they could smile, they would.

Pedicure: I once considered pedicures a treat, but now they are an essential part of my foot maintenance. I try to get one monthly, even in the winter. The technicians laugh at my black toenails (and there is one in the picture above), but I haven't lost one in years--most likely due to this maintenance. The leg massage is amazing. Be warned, the technicians like to pull out the cheese grater foot rasp to remove those calluses. I won't let them use it. I need my calluses! The best part of a pedicure is having pretty toenails...what color should I pick next time?

Do you have any foot issues? What do you do to pamper your feet? Do you still wear heels? Do you get pedicures regularly?

Fortitude

What is fortitude?

I discovered a lot of fortitude on my virtual 13.1 this past weekend. I won a free entry to the Skirt Sports 13er run via Pahla B's blog, Adventures of an Amateur Athlete. I would love to have run the live event in Boulder, but well, life. There was a virtual race option. I felt a commitment to running this thing, even though I wasn't in 13.1 shape. Part of my winnings included $50 to spend on Skirt Sports merchandise, plus a finisher skirt. I wanted to earn my prize. I also felt a commitment to Pahla, because she told me how excited she was that I won. She said she knew I'd actually run the race. I'm not one to shy away from commitments.

Yep.

I dug deep for this one.

Fortitude is what allows you to run a race you aren't trained for.

Plus this was half marathon #13 for me. You know I'm somewhat superstitious. Last week I saw a black cat on the sidewalk and I skirted around him. I didn't want him to cross my path...

Fortitude is ignoring superstitions.

Before the race. When I was still dry.

It was pouring rain when I woke up this morning. When it stopped, I headed out the door. Into the 90% humidity. Silver lining: it was cloudy and 70F. I was wearing that finisher skirt for incentive. I knew I had to earn it.

Fortitude keeps you running 13.1 miles virtually in tropical conditions. When you want to quit. Even though there's no one around to keep you accountable.

I started out slow, on the bike path, running at about 9 min/mile pace. In hindsight, I probably should have started out slower. The path was pretty empty, save for a few other runners. About mile 5, my GI tract started rumbling. I knew there was a gas station about a half mile ahead and pressed on, the rumbling turning into full on red alert. I dashed through the gas station door. The friendly gas station attendant greeted me, and I said a quick hello while trying to appear calm. I had an episode much like Beth of Shut Up and Run wrote about here. I didn't deserve that thank you either. But feeling much better, I smiled at her as I dashed out the door and headed off to the forest preserve.

Fortitude pushes you to run 13.1 miles when your tummy isn't cooperating. Really, are you going to quit because of a little GI distress?

On the trail

After my potty stop, I started sipping on my Tailwind, and felt better. At this point, I was sweating like crazy. I noticed my finisher skirt had a big sweat stain in the front. Lovely. I was happy to see that the parking lot was empty. But on the trail ahead of me, someone who looked like Grizzly Adams came out of the woods. I picked up the pace, passed him, and kept looking over my shoulder. Luckily he walked in the opposite direction. Yikes. It's never dull here.

Fortitude allows you to feel strong running alone in the forest preserve but staying alert. Maybe my fortitude was making me a little too brave...

Once I hit the part of the forest preserve that is more populated, I relaxed and slowed down. My little sprint took a lot out of me and I struggled while I waited for my heart rate to slow back down. I kept repeating my mantras, and that song by Rage Against the Machine came on, the one that has the line, "F---no I won't do what you tell me!" Yep, brain, I'm not stopping now. This is the song that got me past miles 23-25 at the marathon last year, and it got me through miles 6-8 on Sunday.

Still running...and happy to be on the loop where everyone walks and runs.

Fortitude is drawing strength from cheesy, motivating songs. Eminem came on after that RATM song. I won't collapse, Eminem. I promise.

from "Till I Collapse" by Eminem

Then my phone rang. Weird. I stopped and took my phone out of my spibelt. No one was calling me, it was my phone calling my husband. Seriously? Was it a sign? Should I let it ring, and have my husband pick me up? NO! Won't quit....

I cancelled the call. I resumed my run, but thought about this for a while. Why did my phone make a ghost call? Hmmm...

Fortitude is pushing on when even your phone wants you to quit.

I finished up that loop at the forest preserve and headed back through the neighborhood that would take me home. I started to get a side stitch on my left side. Of course I did. Why not? I don't usually get side stitches, but when I do, I can normally breathe through them. This one wouldn't go away. The pain was pretty sharp too, and it interfered with my breathing, so I had to stop and walk it off. This would be my pattern for the next 3 miles. Run, side stitch, walk. Repeat. This made me mad.

Fortitude is not quitting when a side stitch won't go away.

At this point my skirt was almost completely soaked to the hemline. I passed another runner a jogger who stared at my skirt and shook his head. I glared at him. I don't want your pity, dude! How about some support?

Fortitude is summoning up anger when another runner thinks you're an idiot.

As I ran, I worked on exhaling on the opposite side of that side stitch. I was starting to feel a little off, too. In my mental fog, I started to think that maybe this run wasn't a great idea. Maybe I am an idiot. And then the words of Becky floated in my head..."for every word of self doubt, you have to do 10 burpees". Well, there sure as hell weren't going to be any burpees at that point. I knew if I got down on the ground to do a burpee, I'd never get back up. I figured that running the rest of the way would be so much easier. So while I was walking, I turned my thoughts around. I kept reminding myself that I wasn't dehydrated, that I was drinking my Tailwind. That I can and I will. I thought about the what ifs...what if the Chicago Marathon is hot and humid like this? Would I quit then? What if this was one of my real training runs? Would I quit that? How will I be prepared for a hot race if I quit on a hot training run? How would I feel if I gave up? What would that do to my confidence?

Timing is everything, and as I worked all that out in my head, by mile 12, the side stitch went away. I was able to slowly run the last mile to the finish, which was my home. I was happy to finish running, not walking. Never do I want to walk across a finish line, even a virtual one. I spotted one of my neighbors walking her dog, and I worried that she would expect me to stop and talk before I hit 13.1.

Luckily, I hit 13.1 about 10 feet before I reached her. I stopped my Garmin and caught my breath. Victorious.

She took one look at my red, sweaty face; my dripping finisher skirt. "You're crazy", she said.

I grinned. I'm not crazy. I'm tough. Fortitude.

I am. Completely. Soaked.

The stats: 13.1 miles, 2:06:50m 9:41 minutes/mile. Not my fastest by any means, but for these conditions, finishing is winning. Not my slowest either. Had I not gotten that side stitch, I would have been on pace for a 2 hour half. And that's pretty respectable for these conditions, in my opinion.

Nope, not me. I'm not a quitter.

I can and I will.

Go hard or go home.

Badassery.

And now that unlucky 13th marathon is on the books.

Fortitude. Do you have it? Would you have run this one, in the conditions I faced? Would you have quit? What do you do to push yourself when the going gets tough?

I'm linking this post up with Deb Runs for her Wednesday Word. Fortitude. What a great word!

Ready to Race!

Welcome to the 8th Race Recap Link-Up!! I love reading recaps from other bloggers. Its a great way to learn about different races, support other runners, and gain motivation. A recap is the final leg of the race. It’s your chance to relive your race and allow others some insight. The training miles, the race day jitters, the glory of crossing the finish line. the good - the bad - the ugly We want to hear it all….

Meet the hosts...

Jessica at The Silvah Lining: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

Wendy at Taking the Long Way Home | Facebook | *NEW* Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Lara at Uptite Mamas | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

We'd love it if you'd follow us on all social media & let us know you've shared a post.

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This week's post isn't a race recap....

today I answer the question:

Maybe I should title this how not to train for races. There's a lot of advice out there on social media on training for a race. I've run 2 marathons, and am currently training for my 3rd. I've also run 13 halfs and a bunch of shorter races. After all this time, I think I've finally learned what works--for me. But I couldn't figure it all out on my own. I've been working with a coach for the last 2 years, and having that input has made a huge difference in my running. I've also learned a thing or 2 from her that I think everyone can learn from.

Train for the distance you are running. The longer the distance, the longer the training. There's a local radio station, who every year after the Chicago Marathon, interviews people who didn't train at all. It's really interesting to hear their comments. Some of them actually finish around 5 hours, which is pretty respectable for no training. But overwhelmingly, when asked if they'd do it that way again, no training, they all respond no. You could probably wing it with a 5k or even a 10k, but any distance further than that requires some time on the road. Unless you are a one and done racer. Then have at it.

Nothing new on race day. You've heard this one before, but my Facebook feed is always filled with runners lamenting wearing a new pair of shoes or trying a new fuel at a race. Heck, I'm guilty of this myself. A few years ago, I ran a half marathon in Florida wearing the cutest socks with the race logo on them. I had never worn them before--I was "saving them for the race!" Hello, black toenail. I don't lose toenails very often. I was really mad at myself about this. Anything you want to use on race day, you need to give it a test ride on your training runs. Last summer, about halfway into my marathon training, I switched fuels. I drank that fuel for every long run for the duration of my training. And I knew exactly how things would go, as far as fueling was concerned, on race day.

This is heat training in February. Whew!

Train for the conditions you will be running in. Last March, I was registered for a half marathon in Florida. In the Chicago area, we were in the midst of a polar vortex. How the heck was I going to train for the Florida heat and humidity when it was sub zero here? I knew I had to do something, since I crashed and burned at my previous Florida half, so I did what I called "heat training". Yep. I put on thermal tights, a sweatshirt, and a hat, and ran my runs on the treadmill. No fan to cool me off. Holy moley, I was hot. And unfortunately, I didn't get to use my heat training, as I had to cancel my trip, but my spring runs were phenomenal. And this article in Runners World, which I read recently, validated that I was not a lunatic for doing this. Apparently heat training is "a thing".

Does this look like marathon training to you? Slam balls? Kettlebell swings? Pushing the prowler? Yep.

You don't need to run huge miles to run a marathon. There, I've said it. Throw darts at me. But we are not elite runners, folks. We're those everyday people who like to run and maybe get a personal best out of it. Most of us are not made to run tons of miles, especially us older masters runners. But you're not off the hook. Instead of running massive miles, make sure one of your weekly runs is speedwork, one is a long slow distance run, and either 1-2 other runs of 3-6 miles at easy or tempo pace. In between there should be a cross training workout, like HIIT or something intervally. And one day of weights. Cross training is also ok. I did this last year with great success. The high mileage training for my first marathon? Not so much. That plan left me with plantar fasciitis and a stress fracture.

Set reasonable goals for your race. Be realistic. Take time to evaluate what you want out of your race. Do you just want to finish? Run with your friends? Do you want to PR? Qualify for Boston? As your training progresses, you can reevaluate your goals and make adjustments in your expectations.

Trust your training plan. It's so easy, after a bad run, to want to make changes in your training plan. I've been guilty of this myself. Don't do it. You picked your plan for a reason, and you should follow it. Things have a way of working out in the end.

Choose a mantra. A big part of training for a race is mental training. By picking a mantra, you're setting a positive tone for yourself. When you feel like you're getting down, repeat the mantra to yourself and remind yourself what you're capable of.

Do you have any tips for race training? What works for you? What would you tell a beginner?

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Speaking of races...
I'm pretty excited that I've been asked again by Gone For A Run to participate in a virtual run, the All 4 Run Virtual 4 mile Run to be run the weekend of July 4! I really enjoyed my last virtual run with them, the BadAss 5 miler, and this one looks to be a good one as well. There is some sweet swag again: a t-shirt, medal, and magnet.  What better way to celebrate the 4th than to run 4 miles? If you get it done early in the day, there will plenty of time to relax, eat, and take in the fireworks. Anyone want to run this one with me? Click on the link or go to goneforarun.com to learn more! And let me know if you're running it, so we can run virtually together!

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Featured post from last week...
Check out RacingTales Ironman Raleigh Recap. She got more than she bargained for!

About this link up...

It is active every Tuesday - Friday. Link up your most recent recaps, or throwback to an old favorite. *If your post is unrelated to the theme, it will be deleted. One recap will be featured on the next link up! Read at least 3 other posts and leave them some love. The more the merrier… share on your social media so others can link-up. #TuesdayTales Grab the code to the link-up image below on your post or somewhere on your blog.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Thank you for linking up this week - be sure to come back next week. [caption id="attachment_777" align="aligncenter" width="278"] GOTR SoleMate[/caption

Water water everywhere!

We have had so much rain this late spring, I feel like I live in the Northwest. Some summers in the Midwest are like this. All you can do is make the most of the rare sunshine you get. Or learn to make your own sunshine.

Which is what I tried to do. I ran what I hoped would be a quick 4 Saturday morning before I went into work. Not so much. The humidity was 90%, and even though it was 65 degrees, it felt like I was running in a sponge. My friend Penny used the word moist to describe the conditions. While that pretty much sums it up, there's something uncomfortable about that word, isn't there? Anyways, I eaked out an average of 8:54 minutes/mile, and was happy that I at least was sub-9 for that short run. There were puddles everywhere.

When I left work around 1 pm, it was 85 degrees and sunny. Crazy, right? I decided that I wanted to take my kayak out for a spin paddle. Luckily for me, my oldest son was home and he agreed to help me put the kayak brackets on my Jeep. It wasn't as easy as it seemed and when we were done, we had sweated so much that we both had to change our clothes. My husband helped me load up the kayak, and laughed and laughed at the thought of me doing this by myself at the retention pond.

Well, I got the last laugh. Not only did the park district employees help me take the kayak off the car, they carried it down the hill to the lake for me. The studly park district employee with the big biceps (man, he was cute!) told me to come find him when I was done and he'd put the kayak back on my car. No problem, right? Meanwhile, I headed out onto the lake into the sunshine.

This is the retention pond where I do my speedwork, and a lot of my long slow runs. I also run here quite a bit in the winter because the path is plowed and sanded, and the bathroom is open and heated. I've never been out on the water though, and I really enjoyed seeing the park and the path from a different perspective. I didn't have much company on the water, except for a dragon boat full of kids. They must have been learning to row because they kept stopping and listening to the instructors. I couldn't hear what they were saying but it wasn't warm and fuzzy. When the kids were rowing, they were grunting.

There was also another guy in a different type of kayak who was rowing furiously to get back and forth across the lake. I think he made 2 trips for each one of mine. Overachiever.

Me, I paddled at a nice leisurely pace. Got yelled at by a fisherman tho, when I ventured into a part of the lake that was apparently off limits to boats. Who knew?

I spent about an hour paddling around the lake, making 2 trips around it. It wasn't exciting but it was relaxing and just what I needed. I headed back to shore and my new boyfriend loaded my kayak back up on my Jeep.

Sunday morning I woke up to rain. It had rained all night and everything was even more soggy. I had a virtual 13.1 miler on tap for Sunday. My plan was to get up early and go. Mother Nature had other plans, clearly. But I checked the weather radar, and it looked like most of the rain was going to pass to the south of me. By 730, I was out the door.

Of course, the 90% humidity meant that I soon became a sweaty mess. I did a lot of puddle jumping on this one. The creek along the path was up to the top of its banks, and the retention ponds were starting to overflow. There weren't a lot of people out running, but I had plenty of company with the ducks. It was that kind of morning.

By the end of my run, I was completely soaked and exhausted. The last 3 miles were a lot of run/walk combo. This was a tough one--one of the toughest halfs I've run since last summer. Humidity is not my friend. I'll post a complete recap of this run on Wednesday, because the Wednesday word is Fortitude, and in these conditions, I needed a lot of fortitude to complete this run.

When I got home, I wrung out the sweat from my running clothes. Wow. I asked my son to take a picture of me as I dripped sweat all over the kitchen floor.

I don't know if you can see but my skirt is completely saturated. With sweat.

Mother Nature is doing her best to ruin everyone's outdoor plans. But you can't stop a runner, can you?

What's the weather like by you? This has been a really disappointing start to summer. I'm hoping that it turns around for us!

I'm linking up with Tara at RunningNReading for her weekend update! Check it out! Lots of great posts.

Taking the Long Way Home Book Club Book Review: The terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances by Matthew Inman

I picked this book because it's summer and I thought, since we're all so busy, what better book to read than a graphic comic about running? It's a quick, easy read that took me all of one hour to get through. But I'll go back to it again and again, because it really hits home for me. Most of it, anyways! I've always loved the Oatmeal comics--Inman has a kind of snarky sense of humor, much like me, and the comics I'd seen previously from this book were funny and poignant.

In the introduction to the book, Inman gives a little background. He started running 10 years ago to lose weight. He says he was an overweight kid. Since he started running, he's run all the distances, including ultras. The inspiration for his comics come while he is running. Even though he's run far and admittedly fast (his half marathon PR is 1:30), he waxes poetic on the pain and challenge that running poses.

from the terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances by Matthew Inman

Midway through the book is "A lazy cartoonist's guide to becoming a runner". This is simply brilliant, and should be required reading for all beginning runners. Because as he says, "remember, running sucks in the beginning". How many people have said to me that they "can't run", that it's "too hard"? Inman calls running "a front loaded chore". It gets better. Maybe not easier. As runners, we all know that.

Like me, Inman has a strong dislike for the treadmill. He likens the treadmill to a cyborg.

"It is like being taunted by a cyborg. A cyborg never tires. A cyborg does not know fatigue. A cyborg only know ones and zeros. Cyborgs are dicks."

I've never thought about my treadmill as a dick, but it does throw random pieces of plastic at me, so there's that.

One of my favorite sections of the book is "The Dos and Do Nots of running your first Marathon". I'd seen this comic prior to reading the book, and it never fails to entertain me. His tips could actually apply to running any race distance. And yes, gels do taste like "boob milk from a cyborg". I'm not sure what that would taste like, but I imagine that gels would just about cover it. Ugh....

I know this voice well. Image from the terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances by Matthew Inman

I've written a lot about mental toughness while running long distances, and defeating the voice inside my head that tells me to quit. Inman actually has a name for that voice. He calls it the "Blerch". He visualizes a "fat little cherub who follows me when I run".  You can out run the Blerch, and you can silence him.  The Blerch has struck a chord with a lot of us. Inman has organized virtual and live runs "Beat the Blerch". He sells tshirts and gear on his website. The book also comes with 2 Blerch stickers, if you're into that.

The only section of the book that I take issue with is his description of running a race. He says:

"The closest comparison I can think of is if ten thousand pregnant ladies all met in the street and started firing infants out of their hoo-haws in a massive game of amniotic paintball. It would be a messy ordeal. There would be sweat. There would be tears. there would be police cars and barricades. But in the end, an army of countless baby-people would emerge, all feasting on orange slices and high-fiving one another for a job well done."

Ok, I have compared running a marathon to giving birth. A painful ordeal, but oh, so rewarding in the end. And you do get amnesia, a bit, for the whole process, and sign up to do it again. But really, firing infants out of women's hoo-haws?  I get your analogy, Mr Inman, but it's a little gross the way you describe it. Anyways, you are right, it is an "exuberant payoff" to months of tedium.

And one other thing, I don't listen to music to distract myself from the pain and tedium of running. I don't believe that listening to music "waters down the core of what it takes to be a distance runner". I don't agree with him on this point AT ALL. Trust me, I still feel the pain.

image from the terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances by Matthew Inman

In the end, we all run for the same reasons as Inman. We run to "seek that clarity". We run "very fast because we desperately want to stand very still".

"I run to seek a void."

We run to shut out the world.

"Demons are forgotten. Krakens are slain. Blerches are silenced."

That's why I run.

How about you?

What did you think? Did you enjoy the book? Do you have a blerch?

Don't forget to link up your review below!

And by the way, there won't be an author interview this month. I tried to reach out to Inman, and never heard back from him. Then I saw a message on his website that basically said, "don't email me". And I found this comic of his:

I'm sure he's a really nice guy, but probably gets tired of spam. Anyways...If you want to learn more about Matthew Inman, here's an interview published by Wired in 2013. Mark Remy of Runners World also interviewed Inman in 2013, and asked questions similar to what I had in mind, and so that will have to suffice. You can read that interview here. For now, I'm just going to continue to enjoy his comics, his love for his dogs, and his irreverent take on running.

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I hope you'll join us next month for our next book Running Like A Girl by Alexandra Heminsley. The link up will go live July 14!

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