I was inspired by T-Rex Runner and her recent post about what her husband thinks about her running and I figured this was a good way to reintroduce myself to blogging. I’m just going to tell you upfront, my husband apparently doesn’t know the running side of me very well. Not surprising, though. He usually sleeps through my long runs and, well, I’ve really struggled this year to get my weekday runs completed. Anyway, here’s the Q&A with David:
What do I eat before a run? A breakfast sandwich with an egg, cheese spread stuff (he means Laughing Cow spread), on sandwich thins. He’s partially right. I do love a good breakfast sandwich, but before I run, I don’t take that kind of time. When I’m in a hurry, I like peanut butter crackers, if the kids haven’t ate them all. Most of the time, it’s a toasted bagel thin or sandwich thin with peanut butter. In a pinch, it’s a banana and a handful of almonds.
How far do I run every day? Very far and very hard. Seriously, he knows that lately I haven’t done every run I should. But you know what, that’s ok. I don’t have a race on my calendar right now (wait, what?), so my training plan has been non-existent.
What kind of running shoes do I wear? I think it really depends. You’ve gone through a couple. You always get fitted at Fleet Feet. Well, he’s partially right. I always get fitted at Fleet Feet, if for only one reason, they guarantee the shoes they sell. They will work with you and put you in as many pairs as needed until they find the right one for you. Even if you’ve bought a pair, taken it out for several runs and it still doesn’t work, they will replace it for you. Awesome service all the time.
My current shoe, I really should say the only shoe that ever has worked for me, is the Brooks Ariel. Besides the Ariel, I’ve tried 3 different types of shoes since I returned to running: Brooks Beast (it shouldn’t count, though. That’s just the men’s version of the Ariel. They didn’t have the size and width in stock the first time I went to accommodate my big feet.), New Balance 860, and Hoka One One Conquest (this is the Conquest 2). While all are great shoes, Brooks Ariel is what works for me.
How many times a week do I do a different work out other than running? You will typically float around different exercises, like planks or push up challenges. You’ll cycle through things like that. Again, he is partially right. There are a lot of exercises that are good for runners. I try to mix these into my routine whenever I can. What he left out is the classes for runners I try to take at Fleet Feet as our family and my work commitments allow. My favorites are Functional Strength for Runners and Hip Strength and Mobility. I like to throw in yoga practice at least once a week (the yoga classes at Fleet Feet are called “Mat Science”) to work on flexibility. Typically, I practice at home using YogaAmy.net . Amy was my first yoga instructor and I just adore her. I find her Yin videos to be what I need for restoration and flexibility.
What is my favorite race? I think it really depends. I think you like getting pampered at the Disney races, but you don’t like getting up so early or paying the price. The most fun I’ve seen you have at a race is one where you run in circles all day. HE GOT THIS ONE RIGHT! I love runDisney races and believe every runner should do at least one race at Walt Disney World and one at Disneyland. These races are why I started running. While I love running at Disney, it’s become more about the people I know and love, and fun with them, than the race itself. That’s I’ve decided to go on a runDisney hiatus. The majority of my runDisney friends have started branching out in other directions for races and I’ve been able to meet and hang out with them in other locations. So much fun! As for “running around in circles,” when I was working toward qualifying for Marathon Maniacs, I did a 12 hour ultra in Arkansas, the week after the Tulsa Route 66 Marathon (another FANTASTIC race, by the way). The Sunset 6/12/24 Hour is put on by the Saline County Striders and is done at Sunset Lake outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. The trail around the lake is just over 1 mile long. I ran around that lake 31 times and had so much fun. David was there for most of it, except when he went to Wal-Mart and Chick-fil-A to bring me back lunch.
Why do you think I run? For your health and bragging rights. He’s pretty much on target here, too. I come from a family where morbid obesity is the norm. I really don’t want to continue that path. As for “bragging rights,” I’ve always been the type that liked a challenge and to be able to say I did something few others have been able to do.
What injuries have I had from running? Heat exhaustion, dehydration, moodiness, blisters, sore throat from complaining to your husband…. Don’t mind him… he started pouting. Training for a marathon takes a lot of time. It’s part of the reason why I don’t have a marathon on the calendar, nor do I do many marathons. A 18 miles training run will take up a good portion of my day with the run, cool down, hydration, and post-run nap. Training for a half is much easier to fit into our family life, but we’ve both been working a lot of hours lately.
Do you like going to my races? Yeah, sometimes. That one is Arkansas, I got to check out the sporting goods section of a different Wal-Mart so that was kind of cool. Simple answer? No, he doesn’t like going to my races. Most start too early for his taste.
Does my running make you want to run? Not really. I see some of the black toenails and blisters… David used to run regularly and did well at marathons. It’s just not something he sees as “fun.” Then again, sometimes running isn’t fun for me, either. I just know I feel better when I do it.
What have you learned from having a wife who runs? Patience. Not really sure exactly what he meant here. Maybe he’s had to learn to be patient with me because sometimes I am away from the house running.
Running Beyond MY Belief 