Heather Breen

New Running Gear

A few months ago one of my yoga instructors had sold me on the idea of compression socks. She also happens to be a competitive runner, so I trusted her advice.

Compression socks help improve blood flow and circulation – which in theory is suppose to help runners run longer and faster, however evidence on this is not statistically significant.  They seem to be better for recovery and helping to reduce shin splints.  Check out Canadian Running Magazine for their review.

CEP are a popular brand and it seems that is what all the local runners are wearing (especially the ones leading the race). So naturally those were the ones I was on the hunt for. I found them in hot pink  which made me want them even more.  However, I wasn’t prepared to part with the $75-$90 it was going to cost me.

I ended up purchasing a pair of knee high Lululemon Compression Socks, which only set me back $24. I didn’t wear them during the half marathon, but put them on when the run was over to help with the recovery. I wore them for about 6 hours and noticed a difference compared to the parts of my legs that were not covered by the compression socks.  My calf muscles felt great – hamstrings not so much.

I have yet to wear them on any long runs, just a few short 3k’s. Haven’t really noticed any difference while running. Will keep wearing them on long runs to see if there are any improvements.

However, for $24 they have been worth the investment.  Love them for the recovery benefits.

This weekend I purchased a pair of Salomon Speed Cross 2 Trail Runners – to round out my running shoe collection of course.  I needed a replacement for my tradition hiking boots. I had them for 10 years and they were still in great shape, but they were so clunky and awkward that I hated wearing them on long hikes.  In recent years they were used more as my winter boots.   I wanted something light & easy to move in, but sturdy enough for trails and rocks.  The Salomon’s seem like they have all of that. Wore them on a long walk around the city just to break them in before hitting the trails. Hoping to put them to the test this weekend with some hiking/trail running in Tofino.

H

Race Day

The day started with my alarm going off at 6:00am. I jumped at the sound of it, forgetting why I had set it.  Then I remembered - it’s race day.  We ate, changed and headed out the door.  As we were walking towards the start we could hear O Canada being played. Got to the start line just as they were doing the 10 second countdown. Perfect timing.

Race conditions were great at the start, overcast and 10C.  Then the rain started, which resulted in some major blisters.  We seemed to breeze through the first 7km. Didn’t really start to feel any pain until right before Prospect Point (the only hill on the course and it’s a long & windy one).  But with some words of encouragement from Matt I made it to the top without stopping.  The race was all downhill from that point - literally.

The crowd cheering runners on during the last stretch of the run gave me the extra boost I needed to make it to the finish line.

As expected there was no 2hr finish time for us today at the BMO Half Marathon. But despite the lack of training we managed to pull off a 2:23:50 which is not our best time but not our worst time either. And most importantly we finished strong and with smiles on our faces.

We are now looking for a 5km or 10km run to do between now and the time we leave for Calgary. Once there we will find the next half marathon challenge!

Time now for a much deserved lunch at the Irish Heather!

H

BMO Vancouver Half Marathon

9 days and counting. My sixth half marathon. Last year M & I ran this race in 2:15 – a personal best for both of us. A full 15 minutes faster then our previous time.

Training this time around has..well..been lacking. Although there was a big push on training the past month. I know the goal of every run is to really just to finish, but I really want to run this one in 2 hours.

H