Not Every Run Can Be A Good Run...

First, I want to give a big shot out to all of you who participated in our RunDisney Blog Hop! I hope you enjoyed getting to meet some new bloggers and were able to check out their blogs! I know I found some new blogs to follow and some really inspiring stories!! If you posted your blog, I have gotten to almost all of your blogs and have left a message! Please continue to do the same, and give our RunDisney friends some love. Here is the link to the Blog Hop:

  http://kristyrunskato.blogspot.com/2013/07/welcome-to-team-rundisney-blog-hop.html 

 it is open for a few more days, so you can still get in on the fun!! 

My training has been going really well for the past two weeks! I did my scheduled 7 mile long run on Saturday, and then ran another 3 miles on Sunday. I felt great! After my long run, I tried out my new 110% Play Harder Juggler Knickers (what a name!!). They are really awesome compression capris that have special pockets in them to hold ice packs! They are wonderful! I did not get sore or tight after my run! I love them so much that I went ahead and ordered the calf compression sleeves too!! Can't wait for them to arrive!

On Monday, I was supposed to meet my BF at the track for a quick track workout. He was running late and I decided to just use the time to run before he got there. Well, I lost track of time and ended up running 5 miles before he arrived (he was REALLY late!!). We did a quick mile workout and called it a night! Again, I felt great! The 5 miles went by so fast, and felt so great! I was so happy with my progress!

Tuesday, I decided to run on the track again, it was a cooler than Monday and I was craving the same feeling of success. I put in 3.5 easy miles, and again felt fantastic! I wanted to push for 5 miles, but I didn't wear socks in my new shoes and had a blister starting. So, I settled with 3.5, although I really felt like I could do much more! Great feeling right?!

So, from Saturday to Tuesday I had put in 18.5 miles of running and about 6 miles walking!

Wednesday was a beautiful day!! 70 degrees! What a relief from the heatwave we had last week! It was sunny and I just had to get out for a run. Having run on the track two days in a row, I decided to take my run out on the trail. This is a new 3.5 mile loop I found, a hidden gem that I never knew was there before. Half of the run is on a gravel road, and the other half loops through the woods around a secluded lake! It is heaven on the joints and the eyes!!

I started out pretty slow, just enjoying the day and the views. At about 1 mile, my stomach started cramping, and I wasn't sure if I should just turn around or run through it. I decided to just walk awhile and see what happened. While my stomach cramped through the rest of the run, I am very glad this was not me....!!!

I was think of this video the entire way!! I was able to pick up the pace once I hit the trail, but I wasn't feeling the groove I was in the last few days! Duh! I needed to rest! My legs were screaming at me to just walk, and give them a break! I ran intervals for awhile, enjoying the beauty of the trail and the peaceful quiet of the area. Towards the end of the run, I pretty much sprinted back to my car, I just wasn't feeling the run, and just wanted it to be over. Even the beauty of my route couldn't make up for the fact that I was having a bad run. I was upset with myself and doing some pretty awful self-talk. I was really down.

But then it hit me! I needed to give myself a break! I needed to take care of myself and I needed to just remember that not every run feels great! I got 3.5 very slow miles in, and that was not bad! Especially after the streak I had been running! This was a lot more than I could do last year after my injury and I should be grateful for every mile I can do, even if I am walking! After my little pity-party and building myself back up, I went home, showered and did some retail therapy! 

Punkee Love Headbands are made right in my hometown and they were having a sale at their warehouse! Yes!! I went and got 6 new bands for $50!!! This made my night!!

How do you get over a bad run?? How has your training been going?

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Saucony Virrata Review

It has been over two years since I switch to running in minimal shoes. I decided to make the switch due to some serious shin splints I was dealing with. I cannot remember accurately where I read about using minimal shoes to help ease (and in some cases, completely stop) the pain of shin splints, but right away I went out and bought the most minimal shoe I could find: the Vibram Five Fingers. Right away I fell in love with the feeling of running, and it was these shoes that I feel allowed me to make some big gains in my running form, speed and endurance. I was, for the first time ever, running without pain in my shins!

 It didn't take long, however, to figure out that training for a 1/2 marathon was going to require a bit more cushion that what the Five Fingers were providing me. I made a switch to the Rebox Flex, which I loved even more than my Five Fingers, and I happily ran many races in, including my first 1/2. During that race, I lost 3 toenails and decided that I really needed to get serious about the shoes I was wearing and the fit of the shoe!!!

I was turned on to Newton's and fell in love all over again! I have gone through 4 pairs of Newton's now and have to say they are the shoes that work the best for me. I feel fast, and stable in Newton's, they are my go-to shoe!

With that being said, I am still searching for the "perfect" shoe! I love my Newton's, but I am always curious about what is out there, and what I may be missing out on.

Recently, I have heard a lot about Saucony. I wanted to stick with a zero-drop shoe, and I was introduced through many reviews, to the Saucony Virrata. I have never run or worn Saucony shoes, so I was game to try something new.

I have HUGE feet (I wear a women's 11 in regular shoes, and tend to wear a 12 in running shoes!!), so I went with the men's version of the shoe. Men's shoes are always perfect in length, but too wide (my foot is super narrow!). This particular shoe fit really well in both length and width! So from the start, I was excited about this shoe.

I wore them a couple of times on the treadmill, and loved every minute of the run! The shoe was definitely a minimal shoe, it was so light, I felt like I wasn't wearing anything, but on the same hand, they were very cushy, and had really good support.

Once the weather got to the point I could run outside, I took them out on the street, where they did not disappoint. They are great on many surfaces, asphalt, sidewalk, gravel, and grass (my daily route is this varied!!).

I will definitely be buying another pair of these shoes! I do not wear them on all of my runs, as I have found that I miss the feeling of the Lugs on my Newtons, and run in them about every other run.

I am very picky about my shoes, and am always looking for another shoe to try. I bought these shoes because others have also had success with them. My opinions are my own.

I just purchased the Saucony Kinvara 4, and am looking forward to trying it out. While not considered a true minimal shoe, I am excited to see what it is like. Look forward to a review!

What is your go-to shoe or shoe brand? Do you run in minimal shoes?