Allergies!!!!!

Have struck, so I've been out of commission the last few days. The worst part is it always happens when the weather gets nice, everyone's outside running. I mean I'm struggling to keep my head up and heading outside to just get some soup and everyone and their uncle is running. Pretty sure i even saw someone and their uncle running together...

So not sure if there's a more miserable feeling for a runner. I mean the broken ankle or bone sucks, but you know you're down for a bit so you've accepted your fate. The muscle pull you just get the frustration of not being where you were last week, but can still move. Allergies or a sudden cold, always strike right when the weather turns, spirits go up and you're sunk. I was getting ready the day before for a nice 9-10 miler but bam, nothing happened because i was laid up. Hoping for health in the next two to three so i can catch the 50's in the middle of this week

Treadmill review LifeFitness 95T

Since I've conquered most of what winter has thrown at me on a treadmill, I figured it's time to post a review of my good buddy since I'll be abandoning him/her in the next few weeks (60's!!!). To start, is a treadmill a masculine or feminine? I mean a ship is a she, vehicle's can be both, is a treadmill a she or a he? I use he, but mostly because I'm lazy.

So the treadmill today is the LifeFitness 95T. I think its the engage but w/e they're all pretty close, so I'll take the base model because again its the apartment complex treadmill. First glance it looks like any other treadmill, a deck, armresters and a big screen. This one has the added bonus of being able to show TV(whenever the cables are plugged in) and you can plug and iPod in and/or a USB stick to record the workout, both of which are pretty slick. I personally have used the iPod dock more than once when I forgot to charge it before hitting the gym, so it's definitely functional. More importantly the ride, or run. The features are nice, but the run is what matters.
Pro's: It "rides" smooth, easy to change speed, easy to raise and lower deck, two cupholders, screen deck and little table, speed change is smooth as well. Important to me also is the belt stays tight during the runs so my knee takes it pretty well.

Con's: Speed change can be a little slow at times, the handle bars get slick when sweat gets on them, and the real gripe is the standing area on the side of the deck is incredibly slick when a little wet w/sweat.

All in all I'd recommend this one if you have an option at the gym or one at a hotel, giving it a solid B+, the only thing holding it back from an A is the slippery side rails which could be easily fixed by the manufacturer in the future, add some sandpaper

On the road againn, on the road again

Unfortunately I didn't get out for any good runs the last time I was traveling a week ago. It's a great trip to the Adirondacks to visit, great in the summer, but being the genius I am, I went in the winter. Ok it was for pre-marital counseling, and really was the only time to go but I still hoped to get a good run in. One of my favorite runs is this one here.
The Run isn't too bad minus the hill as shown by the elevation map below
You start on a ridge with a great view of the Valley below and then you can either go down the easy hill to start with the epic steep climb at the end. Or you can do the Epic drop to start, and then a nice slow rising climb for the last mile of the 8...it's your choice, but 200 feet of elevation change makes it interesting.

I'll call this one Decisions

Vibram Five Fingers

So i caved in to my primal Caveman instincts and got a pair of Vibram Five Fingers of AWESOME! OK the awesome was a blatant rip off of Jack Black but it fits because they are awesome.

My friend rob, otherwise known as @rvetere on the Twitter, yes it deserves a preceding "The", introduced me to them about a year ago, and I was hesitant. He raved about them for working out, walking and just relaxing on the weekend. He also mentioned that one of his friends who did iron man's swore by them as well. I was hesitant. I mean I'm a big boy and these shoes had zero extra padding so my knees instantly cried out Nooooooo....


So I waited, and waited until this year over the Holiday the soon to be inlaws surprised me with a pair, surprisingly looking just like the ones to the right. Since it was a gift i figured what the hell so went for a run, my first run, last night. It was great, I mean awesome, and amazing. My legs were jelly today, no knee pain, just a little in my left ankle from when i busted it up last year but wow. I loved it. I'll rave more as I add the distance and might move on from the KSO's, but right now, they rock

The winter blues

Winter is back again, with a vengeance. Thankfully I'm not kicking it in Atlanta because this would be me...
I don't know who made it but I'll pass credit to my friend Katie here on facebook for posting. I wouldn't be the drive,r, but rather the dude with the gym bag laughing at the driver and stopping to help, or maybe just standing around and taking the picture then walking off laughing. Depends on the day

But really, it's winter, I love snow, skiing but hate the early sundowns. Being that I work 8 to 6 or somewhere in there, its tough to get some of the Vitamin D needed, or even seeing the sun enough to not get all blah, for lack of a better word. Blaaah really is the word, I'm lethargic, cranky, ornery and just damn lazy. Drinking only sometimes work....might need to drink more, makes me go hmmm.
But really I'll be trying to break my funk, starting with the lunchtime runs moving outside. Ok, let's cage that "outside" running by saying I'll run outside at lunch when we don't have a North wind coming across the runway at 15 knots, because damn that's cold.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

A standard, overused title for a simple post. I had three moments that stuck with me and this title is appropriate to describe my ride
The Good: A 20 mph Tailwin!
The Bad: Other than everything UGA; that tailwind as it becomes a headwind because i ride in a circle, damn geometry.

The UGLY: Again other than every UGA dog, 22 miles in i needed to unclip from my peddles at a light. To cut the long embarrassment again, i forgot to unclip my left as my right foot forgot how to stand and did this kinda leftward hop across an intersection looking like a fool, a fool in spandex shorts!

Go Jackets,

Injury Time

So other than never updating my blog, which will change, hopefully. I've busted my left ankle up again. So I've been on injury time and since I've stopped traveling as much due to a job change I'm going to rebrand this somehow. Adding in some more routes, maybe some biking and go into a few more reviews. Not sure

Onto healing. I'm pretty sure I gave myself a nice Class III sprain because its been weeks and i still have problems running(ok jogging or fast walking) let alone really going out for the 10 to 15 milers i need to be with the MCM coming up. So thoughts on healing?

So far the standard RICE has been used, along with anti-inflamatories, WoeBenyzne and the fish oil, all to some varying degrees of success, I think. Anyone else have thoughts?