Trail Shoes, Mountain Dew and Hero's

I'm not one to follow trends. If I like it I wear it. Be that make-up, cloths, shoes or socks. In middle school I put blush on my eyelids and dressed monochromatically. No it wasn't a cool thing to do. And no one thought that I was cool. But I liked the look, so I wore it. In college I chopped all my hair off and found that my new hair style didn't mix well with running. If I left my hair down, I got poked in the eyes by hair blowing in the wind. But I couldn't fit my short hair into a ponytail. Much to my roommate's chagrin, I began wearing what I thought of as pigtails to run laps around campus. It looked like I wanted to be a short-haired Pippi Longstocking. Or maybe like I wanted to have dragon horns. But it kept my hair out of my face. To add a little style to my new look, I would put 3 colored rubber-bands on each pigtail, and match the rubber-bands to my running outfit. I liked it. Sure I got grins from fellow students out running, but whats wrong with making people smile? Only Kristin (my roommate) actually expressed dislike for them. And I know she loved me anyway, even though she would never join me on on a run. And, actually, my pigtails are still with me. Though my hair is longer now and doesn't usually stand straight up pulled into pigtails.

As an athlete my "who cares about the masses, do you like it?" attitude  translates into "if it works for me I use it." Be that Hammer gel, Mountain Dew, no solids on long runs or even trail shoes on the road. Yes. Trail shoes on the road. I wore the New Balance MT 100's in a recent road race.  Early on, some of the other ladies made disapproving comments about my footwear choice. But I knew that the shoe I had on would work for me. Even on the road. I have spent a lot of money in the last few years trying shoes that end up not working. My all time favorite running shoe (Brooks T5- a road racing flat that I wore for ultras on all but the gnarliest trails) was tweaked last year and the new version sucks. Funny, because Brooks supposedly made the upper better. Only the better version leaves major blisters on the top of my foot. The old one never gave me even one blister.
I have come to realize that I have the worst foot to fit in a shoe of any type ever. Sad, but being my feet love to run I work hard to find what will work. In fact, the NB 100s didn't work on try #1. I had to go up a 1/2 size and cut the heel cup down to prevent popping my bursae sack (long story and older post). Then I tried blister pads instead of cutting down the heel. The blister pads work great.  Yay for me! A trail shoe that I love. Only I have been training on roads for the last few months. Oh what I would give for a pair of T5's! I tried 2 different road shoes during training for Mad City 100k. But both pairs are only good for under 18miles. Being I had trained on the roads in my NB 100s (over 50miles at once), I knew that I could run a road race in them. The NB 100s are actually lighter then almost all road shoes, and being I like a minimal shoe, I didn't have anything to really gain from a road shoe. The NB 100's rock. Not my perfect shoe by a lot, but the best on the current market by even more. 

Which brings me to Mountain Dew. Before mad City, I had never drunk Mountain Dew on the run. I had been having some tummy problems and hadn't t had luck with any of my long run nutrition experiments. When I saw Mountain Dew on the list of aid-station foods, I figured I had nothing to lose in giving it a go, as I know a few athletes who like it on the run and nothing I tried had worked well enough for me to want to use it again. I also knew that I like sugar and caffeine during long runs as long as I take in water with them. So I gave the Dew a go at Mad City. And it worked for me! My tummy felt great all race long. When I met with my friend Meredith Terranova the week after the race, she said keep with the Dew for races. I really did a good job at Mad City. Next race will be more of the same. Literally. More gels per hour, more electrolytes per hour, more water per hour. Other then being short on calories and overall intake, Mad City worked for me. Yippy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And a giant YIPPY to Meredith. For anyone who doesn't know, Meredith Terranova is one of the best nutritionist there is. And an amazing athlete as well. I've been think a lot about my "running hero's" lately.  There are a lot of amazing athletes in America. But when it comes down to it fast times and course records just aren't something that leave me thinking "Wow. She rocks" by themselves. Meredith is one of my hero's because of her incredible knowledge and willingness to use what she has learned to help other athletes grow. Meredith is also one of the most genuine people around.
Another lady hero of mine is Elizabeth Howard. Liza is not only super fun and sweet, but the most competitive person I know. Before knowing Liza, I had no idea how to really go for it in a race and not feel mean, cocky, or foolish. Liza, while a super sport, knows how to go for it. Seeing her race- really race- and do it without putting down other runners or giving off an, "I'm better then you" air has taught me how to race, too. And racing rocks. Regardless of who wins.
Next are Annette Bednosky and Jamie Donaldson. Both of these ladies are really only acquaintances. But being they have been running ultras for many years and are both top notch at it, I know a bit about them. That and they both have blogs.
Before meeting Annette, I must admit to having been already star struck. She is pure awesomeness, in my book. Not afraid of a challenge and incredible at over coming obstacles. Annette seems to come out of everything stronger. I want to be like that.
Jamie might be the most humble world class athlete there is. Both the times I saw Jamie race, she seemed to be truly focused in on her race and not out there just to win. Seeing Jamie approach racing from such an individual place has helped me gain mental toughness. The only thing I have any control over in a race is my mind. Nothing else. So I better do all I can to have my mind on my side.

Well, I re-titled this post. Maybe I should just call this 'random'. Oh well. Time for bed. Happy running to all!!