Margarita Moonlight Run

Last Wednesday I ran on the Trinity Trails in Fort Worth after work. I asked a friend who works downtown if he wanted to join me. He is training for the No Limits Half Marathon later this month but had to decline because he already had plans but he invited me to join him the following Tuesday for a social run.

Today out of the blue I had to deliver something to an office in downtown Fort Worth for the first time in years. I took it as a sign I should join my friend for the Margarita Moonlight Run at The Woodshed Smokehouse along the Trinity Trails. I had packed my running clothes and already planned on doing it. After a dropped off the package around 5pm I headed to Luke's Locker. I read online you could sign up there from 11am to 2pm but I had time to kill so I decided check it out anyway.

When I got to Luke's they confirmed what I saw online but told me I could also sign up at Woodshed Smokehouse an hour before the run. With about an hour to kill I started looking at the running clothes to see if there were any end of summer deals. As soon as I started browsing a manager looking lady asked me if she could help me. I told her I was looking for a tank top type dry fit shirt. She pointed out the few they had left and said they were getting ready for winter apparel. I got a weird vibe from her.

I decided to check out the shoes and was surprised to see they carried Vibram fivefingers and other minimalist type brands. I bought my last pair of modern over-padded running shoes from another Luke's location back in December and they did not have any minimal shoes (except maybe the New Balance Minimus). After about 30 seconds of looking an employee, Noreen, came over to help me. I told her I am training for my first Marathon and looking into a pair of closed toe minimal shoes. She told me all about the benefits of minimal shoes then looked down at my Vibrams and said, "I guess you already know."

I tried on the New Balance Road Minimus Zero and they felt really comfortable at first so I tested them on the treadmill. I really wanted to like them but they were too narrow for my wide feet and unlike other New Balance shoes they do not come in widths (once I got home I found out online they also come in a 2E width.). Next I tried the Altra Instinct shoes. I had just saw a commercial for them last Thursday. They are a "zero drop" shoe (the heel is the same height and the forefoot) and are designed with a wide toe box to allow your toes to splay. I liked the way they fit my feet but the soles were very thick compared to the NB Minimus. I did not try them on the treadmill but I should have done it. Even though I did not ask Noreen brought me a pair or Nike Free 5.0. I told her my wife has some Nike Free shoes but I was unable to get them on my feet when I last tried them over a year ago. Unlike the older models that had the tongue attached to the upper like slip on shoes the 5.0 had a normal tongue and laces. I was able to put them on my feet but in true Nike style they were too narrow. I told the sales lady I liked how the Nike Air Pegasus 28 and I had bought them too short last time and got black toenails. She said they now carry the Pegasus 29 but they do not have any wides in stock yet.  I told her I would be back in 3 weeks for packet pickup for the Honored Hero Run. She said I will get a coupon and would be better off buying shoes that day.

I headed out to my car and got my running gear and went back inside. I asked the manager lady if I could change in the dressing room and she said ok. I felt bad spend all that time in the store so I bought a Powerade. The manager asked if I wanted a bag for my work clothes. I said No and thought it was a weird question. I got the feeling she thought I was shop lifting...

I got to Woodshed Smokehouse at 6:30 and there was already a line to sign up. I waited in line for about 15 minutes to register and get my t-shirt and wrist band for post run taco and margarita.  My friend and his wife showed up with two friends just as I finished signing up. We hungout for half an hour before the run. I had not had anything to eat since 2pm and decided to skip out on an energy gel. The run started at 7:30pm right after the sun set. They asked all the 7-8 min pace runners to come to the front due to the narrow sidewalk.  We took off around an 8 min pace and quickly settled into about 8:30 pace. It was fast but we were both able to still converse. We hit mile 1 in 8:40ish and halfway in about 13:30. After we crossed mile 2 in 17:20ish I told my friend about how I like to sprint the last 0.1-0.25mi of every run. We picked up the pace to sub 8min pace for mile 3 and on the last downhill with about a quarter pushed up to a 6:30 pace finishing in 26:28 with my friend just a few seconds behind me.

Even though it was 75f I was sweaty and headed straight to the water. We waited for his wife and her friends to finish then got our (tiny) taco and (small weak) margarita. We found a table but after a minute an employee rudely told us the hostess was waiting for that table and to go over to the "gravel." We moved and hung-out for another 10-15 minutes and I noticed the table was never used.

C5W4D7

I got started 4 hours later than planned this morning. I decided to go to the nice shady Greenbelt Trail and do a 7 mile out and back. I felt great the first half but the heat got to me in mile 3 as I ran in a clearing in direct sunlight. I took a gel pack but I was overheated. I took 4 or 5 walk breaks on the way back. I had planned to finish in 63 minutes but once I slowed down I was just aiming for 70min. At 6.75mi in I got a call from Ellen checking on me and it gave the motivation to keep going strong. 
31:42 out and 38:16 back finishing 7 miles in 70:10. The outdoor heat beats an hour on the treadmill any day.
It was 86-88f during my run.

C5W3D6 - "Barefoot" 10k

This morning I did my first "barefoot" 10k run in 56:34. I got started two hours earlier than last Saturday and it was 76f with 72% humidity. In June I ran 35.65 miles with an overall average pace of 8:49. My fastest month since April of 2011 when I was running with Ranson and my shortest distance since last July. Part of my new years resolution was to run 1000 miles this year in memory of my Uncle Jack. 375 miles down and 625 to go. My injury in February set me back but I start marathon training in 5 weeks so my weekly volume will go back up.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/145486313

C5W2D2 - 2mi PR

After work I went stopped by the Sun & Ski Sports at Grapevine Mills Mall to exchange my VFF Bikila LS for a smaller size. I did a test sprint up on Saturday and decided they were too big on my right foot. My left foot is bigger than my right. I found the box from my first pair and saw they were a 42 and my new ones were a 43. I got home and decided I want to do a real test run. I slide on my shoes, slapped on my garmin watch, and headed outside. It was 87 degrees, humid, with a 20-25 mph wind. I decided to do my usual 2 mile out and back. I pushed myself a little and finished mile 1 in 7:25 without feeling like I was dying. I decided to keep pushing and try to set a new PR. By 1.5mi in the heat was getting to me but I kept going. I sped up a little the last 0.2mi finishing in 14:55 beating my old PR by 2 seconds. 

   

The Speed and Bikila LS have the same tread.

A little tighter around the toe box than the Speeds

We both have 2 pair now. From Left to Right; Men's Speed and Bikila LS, Women's SeeYa and Spyridon LS

I want to place in my age division at the Rahr Oktoberfest 5k in late September. A 21min 5k should get in the top 3 or 5 in the male 25-29 based on the results from 2010 and 2011. Right now my fastest treadmill 5k is 23:48 and my outdoor is 25:02 (but that was 5 months ago). I think I would have to run 6:45 per mile and right now my fastest mile is 7:11 (two months ago) and 6:56 on the treadmill last month. 

Bikila LS

Today I bought a pair of Blue/Grey Vibram fivefingers Bikila LS from Sun & Ski Sport in Dallas with a $40 credit I got for $18. I could not remember what size my first pair were and the label under the tongue had worn off. I tried on 42 and 43 and did the 15 ft walk and turn test. I picked the 43s. Ellen got the bug and ended up buying some Orange VFF Spyridon LS. They are more a trail running shoe and perfect for our yearly trip to Colorado. 

 Finally got this in the mail after sending in my challenge packet over 12 months ago.

For the first time ever my calves measure 16" (down an inch) and I am starting to see definintion.