The truth is out there.

Brrrrrrrr

It was another cold 10 mile run after work today. I switched to a heavier pair of gloves from the ones I wore Tuesday, an old pair of snowboarding mittens pulled from the back of my closet. Feeling fully protected from the sub freezing temperatures, I ran along to some music while thinking about this or that. At some point I passed beneath the Williamsburg Bridge. But I must have just imagined that I did because some minutes passed before I realized that the bridge was still ahead of me not too far in the distance. I could still remember running under the bridge and I could see in my mind how that little section right after the bridge looks, when Broadway hits Kent Ave at the site of that weird looking restaurant that appears so out of place. Hadn't I stopped for two SUVs while they pulled into the parking lot?

The only reasonable explanation for what must have happened is alien abduction. I must have been picked up, and a mistake was made and I was dropped back down to earth in the wrong spot. Even technologically superior aliens make mistakes. What would Dr. Octagon say about this?

No Fancy Dress

Forty-six days to go until the Kyoto Marathon! There isn't a lot of information available online about this race. I know that it's March 10th and there will be about 15,000 runners. I know that the course takes the runners past many shrines and temples, ending at the Heian Shrine which was built in 1894 and was expanded in 1940. I know I will receive a t-shirt, a towel and a medal. And I also know that the race does not allow fancy dress:  

"Running in fancy dress is fun and somewhat livens up the event. However, it may limit your move and make other runners and the audience on the road uncomfortable."

I guess I'll leave my fancy dress at home (fancy dress like this?), which will mean more room in my luggage. I have learned that "fancy dress" is British for "costume". Okay, this does make more sense now.

Me in running drag.

Speaking of fancy dress, I recently got some new winter running gear, and I made very good use of it yesterday. I ran 10 miles after work in freezing temperatures. Brrrrrrrr. Everything remained warm for the most part except for my hands and my face, which began to sting something fierce at about mile 7. I got a thermal top made by Sugoi and thermal pants made by Brooks at Jack Rabbit in Park Slope. The top and pants are both pretty amazing. These thermal pants are not the tights, so I can wear them and do other activities like eat large amounts of food and drink Sake.

I think these could count as fancy dress.

I was wearing new gloves that I picked up at a Tibetan store in Park Slope after seeing a pair on Shamala. They have a warm felty lining and a mitten to cover the fingerless glove holes, so they are very warm, but during my run my fingers still got so cold I had to ball up my fists inside of the gloves, a trick that sometimes works but makes for doing anything with your hands difficult.

Bigfoot approves of these.

I got new Mizuno running shoes, which is appropriate since I am heading to Japan to run in a marathon. I hear these are very popular there. I wore them on my 10 mile run yesterday and I really liked them. This pair is considered a stability shoe, but I didn't think they felt as heavy as some other stability shoes I've tried. My impact on the ground felt light. While I have high arches, I like the stability shoes more than the neutral shoes for long distance. I get my running shoes in a size bigger than my civilian shoes (I wear a size 11 running shoe!) and these didn't feel too bulky even with the bigger size. I will need to go for some more runs to really get a feel for them, but my first impression of them is great.

I'm finally not feeling plague-y and I've been able to amp up my training. On Saturday I ran 7 miles and stopped at a friend's house to feed her cats. Afterwards I ran 3 1/2 miles to meet some friends for brunch and then I ran 3 1/2 miles home for a total of 14 miles for the day. On Sunday I got in some cross-training with 4 hours of snowshoeing, hiking and running up in New Paltz. I'd really like to see if I can get 40 miles in this week even though the temperatures are extremely cold. Here's to hoping my winter fancy dress can help.

Friday Picture Wrap-Up

It's another Friday Picture Wrap-Up. This week's wrap-up is dedicated to believing in signs. Sometimes the message is obvious: "I love what you've done with your hair!" And sometimes you really have to look for the true meaning: "Ginger Hot Tea" must be tea for good-looking redheads, duh! There are compliments and nice messages everywhere if you look for them.

 Thanks

 Hot Ginger

The Robbin Birds?

In running news, the Kyoto Marathon is only 50 days away. I haven't been able to really train as much as I'd like to because I've been sick the past couple of weeks. But this weekend I will get a slow 15-miler in and see how it feels. All signs point toward me being able to do it.

Friday Picture Wrap-Up

Hey, it's Friday Picture Wrap-Up!*

Today is a very special day, not just because it's Friday and everybody's working for the weekend, but also because it's my brother's birthday and I'm really glad he was born. Happy Birthday Bro!

During the holidays I did some running in Irmo, SC, where my mom lives. Here are some things that I saw.

 

This last picture is a running store that I visited in Columbia, SC. (It was windy and I'm trying to keep my dress from blowing up.) Lots of people were coming in to register for a 5k race which was happening the coming weekend, and this made me feel really happy. Go runners!


I had this conversation with the store clerk as I picked up a pair of Brooks Adrenaline to inspect:

Me: Are these the 13s?
Running store dude: yup
Me: How are they different from the 12s?
Running store dude: They aren't that different.

BOOM! Look at me dropping some shoe knowledge on this guy! I bet he didn't see that coming!

I'm nursing myself back to health this week after getting some kind of flu or whatever it is when you cough a bunch and hurt all over and feel sorry for yourself. But this weekend I really need to get a 15 mile run in, even if I have to crawl. I only have 9 weeks left to prepare for Kyoto so every weekend counts. Maybe running while sick is good mental preparation for the last 6 miles of a marathon?

*Not actually a weekly event.