Please be advised that the contents of this blog are opinions only (my opinion, the opinions of my family and the opinions of anyone else directly or indirectly involed in this blog). This is not an accredited training blog, nor is it an accredited anything blog. If you (and you) do anything that this blog says, or don't do anything that this site says not to do, and you get injured, sick or killed, you cannot blame me or my family or blame anyone else directly or indirectly involved in this blog. By reading anything on this blog (including this message) you are saying that you are a person who makes thier own choices in life and does not hold the writer of this blog, the writers family or any one else that may be directly or indirectly involved in the production or writing of this blog, responsible for your stupid and irresponsible behaviors, injuries, sicknesses or deaths. With that said, please enjoy my fun blog.
Of course I am going to be attracted to a Website called Planet Gear, that caters to the outdoor enthusiast, that sells products at a significant discount.
Of Course! ;0)
(I think that is the first time I have ever used a smiley face in one of my blog posts. Slap me if I ever do it again)
Anyway….
Tawnee from PlanetGear.com contacted me and wondered if I could write a quick shout-out to the internet. She asked me If I could share a quick post about the K-Swiss Deal. I said SURE, and thanks for asking!
We offer sales on top outdoor-gear, apparel, and travel destinations at up to 70% off retail. Every week we have new discounts and new opportunities to save.
More importantly, we hope to inspire people to get up and get out. Working here for only a month, my boss lets me take breaks to walk the office dog. We want people to find comfort and peace with themselves. Also, we are making huge efforts to help this world and the environment we live in. (let me know if you want me to elaborate on that!)
Sounds pretty cool! Makes my job seem pretty bland….
The Deal for the K-Swiss product starts this Tuesday. For your most up-to date info I would follow them on Facebook, but here are the deets in case you don’t ‘like’ to like. Also, Here is K-Swiss Facebook too. Oh, while you are FBing, here is mine too!
Starting Tuesday, May 17th Planet Gear is going to sell shoes and apparel from K-Swiss at huge discounts.
Speaking of Jillian Michaels. (how’d you like that segway?) I would let Jillian Michaels work me out… I’m just sayin. Did you know it’s her last season on Biggest Loser? Maybe Steven Tyler would like to step in for her…
To be honest, I am probably more interested in this kind of thing….
FWIW, I wasn’t paid or given anything to get me to promote PlanetGear.com, I just dig the way they are going about their business and taking care of the earth at the same time…
Here is their mission. Pretty cool.
We believe in the outdoors. Fresh air. Fresh tracks. Warm sand. Starry skies. Drifting snow. Lazy rivers. The places we go to renew our spirits and find inspiration. We believe in gear. Warm fleece jackets, stretchy yoga wear, energy bars/beans/drinks, bells for our beach cruisers… the things that bring the spark to our lives outdoors. We believe in exploring. Inspiring destinations, travel blogs, dreamy landscapes. Experiences that create sweet, unforgettable memories. We believe in giving back. Clean air, clear water, healthy living. To preserve our world, we donate to grassroots environmental groups through 1% for the Planet. We believe in sharing. We work with the best brands in the outdoor and active lifestyle communities to get exclusive deals on gear, apparel and travel.
I think altogether we believe that there shouldn't be anything keeping our members from enjoying life and the outdoors. We want to allow people to save their money on gear and apparel and be able to travel, afford adventures, etc.
… but now I know that I don’t know what I don’t know and I’m better off. The stuff I use to run has become more about my comfort and the fun of running, much more than a MUST have to be ABLE to run.
Does that make any sense? …ok then. I’ll put it to you this way.
I am not dependant on my gear to be able to run. Anymore.
It all started when I started running. I went into the Running Room in South Calgary and spent $800.00 on a pile of technical gear. Then over the next couple months, I spent an additional $1000.00 on gear and gadgets. I then proceeded to look down my nose at those who didn’t have the latest/ greatest in stuff.
You don’t have a Quadraphonic Blaupunkt?! How on earth do you even get off the couch? You don’t eat Aguara Pronectar gels slots?! Man, you must crash and burn as soon as you start… You wear cotton ginch? man, you must love to chafe…
I dunno. It’s pretty easy to get caught up in the hype over running swag. I did(do). I know now though, that I can throw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and go for a run. I do it more and more and I actually get a kick out of a completely unsupported run (especially barefoot). I feel light, free and unencumbered.
All that said, I LOVE running gear. It’s different now though. It’s not ever a NEED, but now it’s purely for comfort and convenience. Sure longer runs seem to require support, but I know plenty of runners who go as far as I have ever ran on a small hand held bottle of water and nothing else. I know most of what gear and nutrition I use and like on my runs is all about my own wants, I have come to enjoy my gear, but not need it.
So. I can run simple and encumbered, I know that because I have done it. But…
… I really dig running gear.
I know now that I REALLY dig running gear. I have purchased a TON of running stuff in the past, but I have been very fortunate that my running, and especially my writing about running has enabled me to try some cool stuff that I probably wouldn’t have tried if I didn’t write about my running.
Stuff I really like and use now, and will write about more in depth in the near future include:
“The last of the human freedoms - tochoose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”
Viktor Frankl (1905–1997) Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist
If you go to the gym, or take up running, or start an art class, you made the decision to be there. No one forced you and no one really cares if you quit. Make an honest effort and do it for yourself and you’ll never be disappointed.
It’s Tuesday February 9, 2010 and it’s a great day for a run. Get out there!
Kate and I are having a short conversation at FB about our mindset as bloggers.
I tend to shoot pictures first, clean up later. Even when there is blood. I wrote about this photo here.
Does your view of the world change, knowing that you are going to write about it on the internet? What’s the CRAZIest thing you have ever photographed, for the purpose of blogging? Did it put life or limb at risk?
Clint FB messaged me today and said that we got in! There are 180 teams max in this race and about 250 entries. You can get in automatically by raising a pile of money, and the rest of the spots are given out via lottery.
We are in! Oh btw, I have never met any of my team.
Just like many of you that I have only corresponded with over the magical information box I talk with my fingers on, I met Clint on (of all places) the Running Room forum. Clint and I exchanged a couple comments regarding the Calgary Half marathon and then we friended on FB and sort of exchanged comments there for a while. We are dating now and are looking for a place to get a baby tend to exchange witty comments from time to time and have kind of been following each others running ‘careers’.
A while ago he asked if I wanted to join his team. He said they weren’t looking for speed, just a warm body, so I naturally said ‘As long as you aren’t looking for speed’.
A 100 mile relay through the peaks and valleys of K-Country! The 100 mile course begins among the rolling hills of Longview in south western Alberta.
At 6:00 a.m. the first heat of leg one runners will make their way along highway 541 towards the majestic Rocky Mountains. The course traverses the Highwood Pass on the highest paved highway in Canada and takes you into the Kananaskis Valley. Leg nine and ten runners will travel cross-country to finish at Nakiska, the site of the alpine events of the XV Olympic Winter Games
Here is the whole overview of the K-100 course. Teams get 14 hours to complete the 100 miles with forced starts for slower teams on a couple legs to makes sure everyone comes in in daylight. The race is run over the highest paved road in Canada and has a full 1000meters ( 3280 ft) of elevation gain with a starting elevation of 1240m (4068 ft) above sea level. So yeah. The air starts thin and gets thinner.
Clint tells me we need 4 more teammates. Do you want to play? Yeah? ok, here’s what we’ll do. We will pick you for our team based on random and arbitrary reasons that may change over and over. We are in the Open division, so Boyz and Girlz are welcome to try-out.
To better your chances you:
Are really witty,
Are really fast,
Come with sponsorship money (we would love to cover the $775.00 entry fee and van rental)
What do you think? Sound like fun?
Either comment here or email me at nzeller (at) shaw (dot) ca
Also, go follow SUAR, tell her I sent you. Just do it.
So, I didn’t do it. I ran 30.7kms instead of 42.2. For lots of reasons, the least of not which was my lack of training. here is my entire training log for the last 6 weeks.
March 27 – Rest
March 28 – rest
March 29 – rest
March 30 – rest
March 31 – rest
April 1 – rest
April 2 – rest
April 3 – rest
April 4 – rest
April 5 – 4k
April 6 – 6 hills
April 7 – rest
April 8 – rest
April 9 – 10k
April 10 – 32km
April 11 - rest
April 12 – rest
April 13 – rest
April 14 – rest
April 15 –rest
April 16 – rest
April 17 – 21.1kms
April 18 – rest
April 19 – rest
April 20 – rest
April 21 – rest
April 22 – rest
April 23 – rest
April 24 – rest
April 25 – rest
April 26 – rest
April 27 – rest
April 28 – rest
April 29 – rest
April 30 – rest
May 1 – 30.7 kms
Like, a REAL lack of training. I dunno, life has been pretty rough in general here at rancho Z, but I shouldn’t have that many excuses. So now you know why I was so thrilled with the distance yesterday and not all bummed out. I went as far as I could go, and not a step further. I found out where my limit is and where I can go in my fitness and in my mental strength. The 30.7kms is a bigger deal for me than the 32 on April 10th, because this run was ALL barefoot. every step. Yeah. Check this out. At the start, just prior to step #1 of this Barathon. Hah! another new BF word!
And just so you know, it was not warm at all to start, as indicated by the frost on the car when I headed out. Yeah, starting temp: 1c – 34f.
Heading over to my run, I found myself so nervous that I actually got queasy. That hasn’t happened before. I guess my body was more afraid of this run than my mind was. I got to the start line. Everyone was there.
To be fair, Run buddy Susan showed up, which made me very happy. We stood on the line. watched the clock strike 8am and we were off!
Here is the video from the mass start!
Thanks very much to Susan, she ran with me for the first 10k, at her 10k race pace (I think she was sandbagging a bit, as she was talking the whole way, without any difficulty. I think your sub 1hr 10k is just around the corner Sue! We had lots of laughs for the first part of my run.
Susan pointed this scene out as we were running. Everyone knows I carry my camera, so she was like, Aren’t you going to take this picture?
Yep! see that green stuff?… Grass! Woot!
When we returned to the start/loop/finish area, Traci and Andrew were waiting for me with a change of drink bottle, and some chapstick, and then Run buddy Tammy was ready to go for the long 18k out and back into the most scenic part of todays run. A bunch of the run looked a lot like this:
And this:
And made sure to get a really awkward shot of the two of us.
My Shout out goes to my amazing support team. I actually get a little emotional thinking about the support I get from Traci and Andrew on an ongoing basis, not just in running, but in general life! But Sunday took the cake. They showed up at regular intervals, having new Nathan bottles ready for me, a handful of gels and chomps, the tube of chapstick and dry BondiBands for my choosing. I saw them 6 times in the last 21kms. At every stop, the boy would ask “Are you having fun on your marathon daddy?” yeah, I sure was! It was just really incredibly nice to see them so much. The run got an A+ for that reason alone.
Tammy and I carried on through the rolling west end of Fish Creek Park. I had a cool moment when a runner that was coming at us says “Hey! Are you Neil?, you are amazing!, i knew it was you! I follow you!”. That was pretty cool, my first total stranger recon! Tammy just laughed because she had been subject to all the silly comments I get as I run by people, and then this happens.
I liked it.
Tammy was here for todays run as a test of her funky IT band, and unfortunately she had some trouble with it about 9k into her 18k run. I was actually surprised at how good I felt through the first 19kms, but as we approached 21 I started to feel the bottom of my feet and i had some weird fatiguing in my lower legs. The really good thing on this run was that my heart and lungs were never really taxed, it was my strength and soles that gave up on me in the end. Tammy toughed it out for the complete 18k (against my scolding), and I started to struggle a bit at the 25k mark. We had just passed a group of about 1000 (seriously) charity walkers, and I was feeling a bit out of sorts.
I was feeling ok, but had started to feel the twinges of cramps in my hamstrings and quads. I tried to drink well, but it seemed I was on the edge of some issues. Tammy had pulled up at about 25.5k (14.5 for her) and I carried on.
Out of absolutely nowhere it felt like I was hit in the back of the leg with a full swing 9 iron. I jumped about 4 feet in the air and stopped dead. I couldn’t move. The pain was almost too much to bear, and I yelled out “OH MY F**King GOD”. I gathered myself as best as I could and tried to get some motion, and tried to walk it out. It was in the very bottom of my hamstring, centered right above my kneepit and the worst pain I’d ever remembered. Tammy caught up to me and was concerned, but I knew if I kept moving I'd probably be ok. Sure enough after a couple minutes of walking and rubbing and stretching, it just went away. This was at 26k. I went off running again, feeling actually pretty good.
At 27k it was my other leg. Exactly the same, except this was the 7 iron. This time it seemed to take something extra out of me. I started to feel an abrasion on the bottom of my left foot and I thought I might put on my 5’s at the end of this loop. I also started to feel tired. I Gu’d again, and guzzled the rest of my GuBrew and pushed my way to the checkpoint.
I finished the 18k loop, swapped my bottles, drank a big gulp of water Traci and Andrew had for me, and just headed out. ‘Back in 40 minutes’ I told Traci, as this was a 5k loop. It was ok, I was moving along fairly well for the first k, but I was having a hard time maintaining my pace. I bared down a bit and focused on my posture and cadence, and that seemed to help for another k, but it was just up ahead that I was in for a pretty good punishment. This loop leaves the pathway and goes on roads for 1.5k and then back to paths. I must have forgotten that is was just barely spring here and that these roads were still completely covered with sanding chips.
Might as well have been knives. For a little while there were tarred strips in the road that I was able to run on but for the most part there was a complete covering of this sharp gravel. I ran on. My pace dropping from about 6:45 per km to 8:30. I was just picking my way, but it seemed when I only stepped on one tiny rock, it felt worse than a whole footful.
Then I just couldn’t take it anymore. I walked along the edge where the grass met the gravel. There was no where to escape as the gravel was pushed into the grass, but at least the grass gave a tiny bit of relief. I finally made it back to the pathway on the other side, but for some inexplicable reason the path was covered in the same gravel. I tried to run again, but I was feeling crampy in my legs and my feet felt like hamburger.
The gravel that was on this bit of pathway gave me the opportunity to make a very smart decision. Quit. Pull the chute. End the madness. I pulled my phone out of my Nathan Belt and walk off the trail and Called Traci.
Heh. No Answer.
I texted too (‘call me, i’m fine, i’m just done’), then I realized I had Tammy’s # so I called her and she had just left, but turned around to go tell Traci to call me. Traci did check her phone and get back to me, but not before I filmed this.
I’m glad I did this video, it sort of feels good to remember that moment and how at peace I was with it. I quite enjoyed the 10 minutes of just sitting and relaxing waiting for my ride, but the best was when Traci pulled up and Andrew says from his car seat “Daddy, your marathon was amazing, you won!”
I sure did.
We got back to the parking lot and Traci had a full recovery picnic ready for me, including Turkey wraps, Chocolate milk, bananas, Granola bars, Doritos, water, and other stuff. After a few more leg cramp issues I was finally able to sit down and relax.
I did get a good post run shot of my feet. See the marks from the gravel? yeah, it sucked. On a normal run, I can handle that, for short periods of time (running across a street) but I think after so much barefoot running, my feet were just hypersensitive.
Here is what it looked like after an hour and a shower at home. Not bad considering. Barefooters talk about ‘Leathering’ up their feet. Do things like keeping your feet out of water (shower, not bath) walk on rough surfaces and try to keep the skin really dry. This allows the foot to toughen and be ready for such punishment. I have a winters worth of skin softening shoe wearing. I think this run will go along way to evolving my ‘leather’. They look a little swollen coz they were. I wore some socks for the rest of the day, as they were tender. I think in the future, I will plan my long race attempts for the fall, when my feet are at their summer prime entoughen!
The little guy was so proud of me.
Traci and Andrew packed up our picnic and and went home, I got in the car, did some facebook updates then headed out too. I was only a few yards out of the park when I started to dread the ice bath at home. Then it struck me that I was next to a glacial river that was just recently covered in ice.
That’ll do! I walked down the boatramp and stood up to my buttcheeks in the 45f water for 15 minutes.
Still not as cold as the water that comes out of our taps here in Calgary. I cleaned the hottub today and this was the temp at startup. It’s no wonder I cringe at the thought of (no)Ice baths.
I also got a really nice Bondiburn! Can you see that? I had lots of comments at work today.
This run was part of my Virtual Marathon. I ran the half on the 17th, and this run this weekend for a total of 51.8km and a time of 6:08. That qualifies me, even though I said I’d do it all in one, I was happy to have the half to fall back on. I am receiving some great reports for the VM, and this is one of my fav’s.
This echo's a familiar sentiment all across the board of participants. You were happy to have 2 weeks to get the distance and it was nice to have to motivation in a somewhat awkward time of the year for races/ training. Great job to everyone who played! Get your reports in, I’ll wrap the prizes up by next weekend to give everyone a chance to get their poop in a scoop!
I can’t wait for the second annual 10-10 Virtual race. You choose the distance! 1k, 1m, 10k, 10m, 100k, 100m… you get the idea. Some people did 4.2 10ks! By then I should have 500 followers, so the prize pool will be that much better! Oh, if you played in this Virtual Race and haven’t followed me officially yet, why not?
This video was taken moments after my decision to DNF my marathon. I will have a full report by Tuesday evening…
Speaking of Chipseal… here is what the bottom of my feet looked like about 20 minutes after… yeah, that really sucked a little bit. Like stepping on the tips of needles.
This journal is a way to share my passion for running, hiking, travel, Family and everything else I care about in my life. Follow my adventure, it's always... well... an adventure!
