May Mop Up!

Weight Lost: .5 pounds
Miles Run/Walked: 57.97 miles
Longest Run: 4.5 miles
5Ks: 1 (Came in 4th)
Achievements: Running 100% of my runs scheduled
Craziness: Running the last 2 weeks with a ruptured ovarian cyst

My 2XU Elite Compression Shorts Review (or Griping about 2 Miles)

So, I have been running.  14 times in 3.5 weeks.  They are all pretty short runs, yet my body hasn't been this sore in awhile.  I have been to 3 different gyms (all owned by the same guy).  I like the one by my house the best.  I don't know if it is the weight gain, the shoe issues that have plagued me for almost a year, or what, but my hip started hurting again.  (bursitis).  I've been rolling and doing my kicks (which I hadn't been doing for awhile...so duh to me).  However, I always relied heavily on my CW-X Stabilyx Capris.  But they don't fit at the moment, and they were the largest size CW-X made (although it looks like they might have changed their sizing, since I last looked in 2012, but whatever). What to do? What to do?

I looked at 2XU and they have XL shorts and Capris.  I hemmed and hawed on the shorts because I have a CW-X pair and don't really like them.  (read here).  I was afraid that the 2XU wouldn't hold up.  I couldn't really find reviews of anyone with hip bursitis commenting on them, and I had the money, so I ordered the Elite Pair and a pair of Capris.  I'll be honest.  I don't like the huge 2XU plastered across my leg.  The shorts only came with the white ("steel") plastering (or that's all I saw), but the Capris came Black/Nero.

2XU Elite Compression Shorts (photo from Shoebuy.com)

 2XU Black/Nero Capris  (photo from Shoebuy.com)

So Tuesday, I went to one of my 3 gyms for a 2 mile run.  No big deal. I'll do speed work (run 5mph for 4 minutes, run 4.3 for 1 and repeat).  I've been doing this for my 1.5 mile runs if I don't run outside on hills so no biggie?  I went to my non-regular gym (I'd been there one other time).  I got on the treadmill.  I started walking and noticed my heart rate was a little higher than normal.  Not a big deal (115 vs 110 to walk .5 miles at an faster than leisurely pace).  I started the run.  I lasted on 5mph for about 1 minute and thought I would die. I decided I would skip speed work and just do 4.7.  After 4 minutes my heart rate was 155.  I walked at 3.4 rather than run at 4.3.  I was drenched.  I did this 4.7/3.4 thing again.  I barely got through it.  My heart rate soared to 175.  What the hell is going on?  I felt like I was running up a hill.  I checked the elevation and it said 0.  I tried the cycle again.  I had to take it to 4.5 when my heart rate hit 183.  I walked for 1.5 minutes this time to get the heart rate to 160.  Tried again with the same results.  My arms and shoulders were really sore.  I put it on 4.1.  My heart rate seemed to level at 175 but really?  4.1?  I finally finished the 2 miles.  I could barely walk.  When I turned around to get off the treadmill, it felt like it was on a downward slope.  I'm definitely bringing a level with me the next time I go there.  I got home and my shorts and capris were there.  I was actually too sore in my arms to fight to try on the capris after trying on the shorts.  The shorts fit.  Yay.

Yesterday I ran in them for 3 miles at my close-to-home gym.  Considering how sore I was from the day before, I was not enthused to have to run farther.  I started the run at 4.5 mph.  I decided I couldn't stop to walk because I was afraid I wouldn't restart.  My heart rate never got above 169 which it hit in the final 2 minutes.  I liked the shorts better than the CW-X shorts. They seemed a little sturdier in material. I did notice my hip in the 2.5 part of the mile, but I think that was more out of boredom than anything else.  I also noticed the side tag in the shorts that rubbed my side raw.  I'll have to Body Glide that area.  Overall, I like the shorts and think they will last a good 15-20 pounds until I can fit back into my CW-X Capris.  The one thing I did notice was a lot of seams in the crotch area.  If the tag was bugging me at 3 miles, I imagine I will Body Gliding other areas of my body on longer runs.


My own review: Neither 2XU or CW-X had anything to do with my reviews except sell their clothing on websites where I could make purchases.

Tri-Cities 5K recap

So D and I had a 3.5 mile run as the long run for our second week of marathon training.  Why not just do a 5K?  Being that I'm kind of exacting, I wasn't sure that it really counted, but I decided ok, because I knew this course was hard, because I did it last year.  We signed up.  Somewhere in there, I forgot to tell D about the hills (or I told him in my head).

Saturday morning we drove out to College Park, the whopping 8 miles away.  It was about 50 degrees and sunny.  We got our numbers and sat in the car for awhile.  At 745 we got out and went to the starting line.  There was also a 10K, and people were concerned about the split, but I remembered it was well marked.  People seemed happy I knew this.  At 758, I mentioned the hills and I hoped my legs were ready.  D goes, "Hills?"   I said, "Oh yes, the last 2/3rds of this race suck."  He kind of just looked at me.  We kissed and then they said, "Go."  Despite the chip there was no starting map.  There weren't that many people (500?) so it wasn't a huge deal.

We ran down Main Street to Rugby where the 5Ker's turned left.  I knew I was going fast, but I felt ok.  There was this teen (14-15ish) who kept trying to keep up with me.  Well, he would run past, get a side cramp and then walk, I would pass, and this would repeat.  I wanted to tell him just to run my pace, because he was annoying me, but he eventually figured it out, and kept my pace for about 2 minutes.  I hit 9 minutes when I should walk break but I still felt strong and I wanted to see if I could get under 12 minutes on the first mile.  We turned down Napoleon, I lost the kid, and Mile 1 clicked by at 11:59.  YES!  Boy Scouts were handing out water, but I didn't take any.

Off Napoleon you turn on to Walker.  I thought about what comes down, must always go up.  I tried to keep a decent pace but my legs said to take a break.  Since I missed the 9 minute, and I knew there were more hills, I took about a 45 second break (pretty much walked up the rest of the hill).  Turned onto Victoria and struggled but kept running.  Finally got onto Lyle that was kind of Flat, and then had a huge downhill. Some people passed me on the down hill, but I knew there were more uphills.  So I tried to keep as steady as possible.  On Pierce it was steep/rolling. Somewhere around here was Mile 2. I missed what my time was. I would run up about 3/4 of a hill and walk the rest, and then run again.  I seemed to pass a lot of people this way.  Cambridge was just a long hill, I kind of cursed, but told myself to go.  There was a green lady and a purple lady (purple was walking REALLY fast), that I wanted to catch.  Purple also ran all the down hills.  I was in passing distance of Green Lady when she made a mistake, she missed the sign to turn on to Hemphill. I'm not sure how she missed it but the Volunteer got her back on track.  I "made my move," and passed her.  Meaning, I ran at the same pace.  Ran down Hemphill to Virginia.  On Virginia the first 2 10kers and the cops came by. Yeah, I'm slow.  Oh well.  I couldn't catch Purple.  Onto College Avenue.  Ah the last hill.  I got up to Purple.  I saw D.  I started walking. hahaha! I got to the crest and resumed running and ran onto the track for my lap.  Purple started running.  Some other lady (Blue Sweatshirt) came from nowhere and took over us.  I had half a lap to go, and Purple was slowing.  More 10kers were coming.  Actually the ones that I said were probably going to win (age group winners).  I passed Purple on the turn.  The announcer was saying she was trying to catch up.  Told me to put some umph into it.  I kicked the time.  I knew she was behind me and coming up.  I sprinted.  I beat her barely (2 seconds).

My time: 41:15.  Not my best but since I've been hurt and undertrained, I was happy with it.  It was 1 minute+ more than last year.

D met me and got me some water.  We went and got our T-shirts.  I asked if he placed.  He said no, and thought it was weird I asked him.  He said he was sure he got in the top 10 of his AG.  He came in 38th over all (out of 253).  And he said, "THOSE HILLS."

The HILLS

We went out for lunch, later.  While out, I got an email that said I placed 4th in my AG.  4th, PEOPLE!  I don't care how slow I am, but that is probably my best finish ever.  4TH!!!!

So we'll do the race next year.  One of those women might turn 45 and I could place 3rd!


 

Round Up of April

I may get back to posting regularly.
Until then here are April's Stat's.

Weight Lost: 4.3 pounds
Miles Run/Walked: 42.82
Half-Marathons: 1
Achievements: a Personal Worst, but still a finish while puking on the course a few times
Craziness:  Signed up for a Marathon after "achieving" a PW

My Medal from my February Half that I never wrote a race report for

My Medal from my worst finish ever, but still a finish