Happy New Year everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I thought that, in the spirit of the upcoming holiday, I would take a look back at my running in 2015.
At the start of the year, I had just signed up for my first marathon. At that point, my longest run ever was a 14-miler that took me through sidewalks and streets. By the end of the year, I would not only complete my first marathon (26.2 miles), but also my first half-marathon race, and my first ultramarathon distance, a 50k (or 31 miles).
It wasn't a smooth road. Training up for the Vermont City Marathon in May was difficult - I had to deal with winter running, higher mileage than I'd ever done before, and other challenges. But with some help from my friends, particularly in the Long Trail Running Club, I pushed through and completed my first marathon. Although I felt disappointed by my finishing time (4:24:01), it is still a major milestone.
I didn't train nearly as hard as I should have in the summer, but I was still able to complete the St. Albans Raid Half Marathon in decent time in August. Although I had complete the half-marathon distance loads of times before, I had never raced it, so I was glad to check that off.
Doing some workouts with some friends of mine, I heard about this event called Run Your Can Off - a trail run held for up to six hours in Gilbrook woods featuring 1.25 mile laps. Wanting to get into trail running, intrigued by the event, and believing in the mission of Run Your Can Off (the entry fee is food donations that go to charity), I signed up, and trained to run 50k in under six hours. It was the longest run of the year, but I managed to complete the distance in just under six hours, being one of three people who ran the entire six hours at Run Your Can Off..
All of these races and accomplishments have been great, but what has been even more awesome is the community of runners I now find myself part of. Because of my involvement with the Long Trail Running Club and running these races, I have made connections and friends who are all awesome. These people inspire me to be my best, to push harder, and to dare to dream bigger. And the support I have gotten from family, friends, and coworkers has been incredible. To everyone, I have one thing to say. THANK YOU. YOU'RE ALL AWESOME!
And stay tuned. 2015 may be over, but I have plans for 2016. Big plans, which I will talk about in the next post. Until then, Happy New Year's! Let's rock 2016!
Brian B
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Product Review - Road ID Slim
Hey everyone. This is the last review for a while. Like the other reviews, this is a product that focuses on safety.
Fun fact - like a lot of runners, I despise carrying any extra stuff when I'm out running. I don't run with a phone or a wallet because I don't like the feel of them jostling around in my pockets. However, running without ID poses a risk. It's not fun to talk about, but occasionally, runners do get hit and injured by inattentive motorists. That alone is bad, but if you happen to be injured, unconscious, and lacking ID, the paramedics are going to have to figure out who you are. Not good.
That's why I wear this Road ID Slim (other styles are available). Basically, it's a livestrong-style stretchy bracelet with a removable metal plate on the front. The metal plate has space for five laser-printed lines of text. I was able to fit my name and birth year, some emergency contacts, and two lines detailing some medical information. The reason it has tape on it in the picture is to protect the phone numbers of my emergency contacts, as this picture is going on the internet.
Besides the obvious function of this being able to potentially save your life, one benefit is that it's easy to use. The metal plate can be removed and attached to other bands of the same size, which is good since I have broken one or two bands (but they're cheap, so not a big deal). It's extremely lightweight and comfortable once you get it on, so much so that I wear it during the day when I'm NOT running. Finally, one of these will run you $20, which, considering what this is for, feels like a bargain.
This is one of the few times where I will almost outright endorse a product. I don't like being a brand loyalist, but I feel strongly about this, as it's a low-cost safety solution for all runners, and it's made pretty well. It's like putting on a seat belt in a car - I hope I never have to use it, but I'm glad it's there in case I need it.
That's why I wear this Road ID Slim (other styles are available). Basically, it's a livestrong-style stretchy bracelet with a removable metal plate on the front. The metal plate has space for five laser-printed lines of text. I was able to fit my name and birth year, some emergency contacts, and two lines detailing some medical information. The reason it has tape on it in the picture is to protect the phone numbers of my emergency contacts, as this picture is going on the internet.
Besides the obvious function of this being able to potentially save your life, one benefit is that it's easy to use. The metal plate can be removed and attached to other bands of the same size, which is good since I have broken one or two bands (but they're cheap, so not a big deal). It's extremely lightweight and comfortable once you get it on, so much so that I wear it during the day when I'm NOT running. Finally, one of these will run you $20, which, considering what this is for, feels like a bargain.
This is one of the few times where I will almost outright endorse a product. I don't like being a brand loyalist, but I feel strongly about this, as it's a low-cost safety solution for all runners, and it's made pretty well. It's like putting on a seat belt in a car - I hope I never have to use it, but I'm glad it's there in case I need it.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Product Review - Nite Ize LED Sport Vest
Hey everyone. So, as the holidays are pretty much here, I figured it would be a good idea to get into another gear review right away. Today, I am going to review another piece of gear intended for night running - the Nite Ize LED Sport Vest. You can find it on Amazon for around $15.
This vest should be a good idea. The white stripes are reflective, meaning that any lights from cars will bounce right back, illuminating your position to vehicles and idiots who point flashlights in random directions. But the party piece of this rig are the orange LED stripes. One for the front, one for the back, they are operated by a coin-style battery and can be set to either glow or flashing mode. And for the most part, it works. It's reasonably bright and people do seem to notice it.
However, I am sad to report that this particular vest may be a case of good idea, shoddy execution. First of all, the material that is not reflective is black, which I just think is bad design. But more alarmingly is that track record I have had with reliability. When I first got this, one of the straps snapped, and a friend of mine had to stitch it back on (thank you!). For the next few months, it was fine, but lately, I have been having problems with the LED strips turning on or off, or more specifically, NOT turning on or off. It would appear that the LED strips don't do great with rain, and the connection with the battery becomes suspect the more that connection is exposed to water. As I write this, the strip on the vest that is pictured is still glowing, and about the only way I know to shut it off is to remove the battery.
Admittedly, this only costs $15. But if you are interested in an LED vest of some kind, it might be worth looking into other brands and seeing if you can find something a bit better built, even if they are a bit more expensive. Now, if you will pardon me, I have to shut the darn thing off. I will be releasing one more gear review tomorrow, and then taking a break from reviews for a while.
This vest should be a good idea. The white stripes are reflective, meaning that any lights from cars will bounce right back, illuminating your position to vehicles and idiots who point flashlights in random directions. But the party piece of this rig are the orange LED stripes. One for the front, one for the back, they are operated by a coin-style battery and can be set to either glow or flashing mode. And for the most part, it works. It's reasonably bright and people do seem to notice it.
However, I am sad to report that this particular vest may be a case of good idea, shoddy execution. First of all, the material that is not reflective is black, which I just think is bad design. But more alarmingly is that track record I have had with reliability. When I first got this, one of the straps snapped, and a friend of mine had to stitch it back on (thank you!). For the next few months, it was fine, but lately, I have been having problems with the LED strips turning on or off, or more specifically, NOT turning on or off. It would appear that the LED strips don't do great with rain, and the connection with the battery becomes suspect the more that connection is exposed to water. As I write this, the strip on the vest that is pictured is still glowing, and about the only way I know to shut it off is to remove the battery.
Admittedly, this only costs $15. But if you are interested in an LED vest of some kind, it might be worth looking into other brands and seeing if you can find something a bit better built, even if they are a bit more expensive. Now, if you will pardon me, I have to shut the darn thing off. I will be releasing one more gear review tomorrow, and then taking a break from reviews for a while.
Monday, December 21, 2015
Product Review - Energizer Micro Sport LED Headlamp
Hey everyone. So as some of you may be aware, it is the holiday season. As it is the gift-giving season, I thought I would review some of the gear that I have used from a runner's perspective to let people know how well it worked, and whether it was worth buying. My first review is of the Energizer Micro Sport LED Headlamp.
First of all, I feel it is important to restate the following; if you are running at night, a headlamp or reflective gear of some kind is pretty much a necessity, unless you want to get hit by an idiot in a Volvo.
One of the biggest problems with headlamps is their price. A top of the line, high-powered running headlamp can set you back a hundred dollars or more. When I purchased this, it costed around ten dollars. Sadly, I can't seem to find it for that price anymore (did they stop making it).
The Micro Sport looks and feels like a cheap piece of equipment. The light output is 37 lumens on high mode, which isn't as powerful as other lamps. Battery life is OK-ish, but if you're using rechargeable AAAs, shouldn't be a problem. And, as you can probably tell from the photo, it's made of plastic.
However, I maintain that for those people just starting to run at night, this or something like this is an excellent choice. I have run with it in the rain, snow, and I've even dropped it once or twice, and I haven't managed to break it or damage it at all. It's light and fairly comfortable, as the front lamp is curved on the inside to be a better fit to your head. Also, the back blinker is bright and just a good idea.
I can't recommend this model for night running on trails. There is no way to adjust the angle of the headlamp, and the beam is fairly wide and low-powered to begin with, which is not useful when trying to spot obstacles. But for those looking to get in to night running and looking for an affordable rig for running along the street, this or something like this is an excellent option. Considering what I paid for it, I can't really complain.
One of the biggest problems with headlamps is their price. A top of the line, high-powered running headlamp can set you back a hundred dollars or more. When I purchased this, it costed around ten dollars. Sadly, I can't seem to find it for that price anymore (did they stop making it).
The Micro Sport looks and feels like a cheap piece of equipment. The light output is 37 lumens on high mode, which isn't as powerful as other lamps. Battery life is OK-ish, but if you're using rechargeable AAAs, shouldn't be a problem. And, as you can probably tell from the photo, it's made of plastic.
However, I maintain that for those people just starting to run at night, this or something like this is an excellent choice. I have run with it in the rain, snow, and I've even dropped it once or twice, and I haven't managed to break it or damage it at all. It's light and fairly comfortable, as the front lamp is curved on the inside to be a better fit to your head. Also, the back blinker is bright and just a good idea.
I can't recommend this model for night running on trails. There is no way to adjust the angle of the headlamp, and the beam is fairly wide and low-powered to begin with, which is not useful when trying to spot obstacles. But for those looking to get in to night running and looking for an affordable rig for running along the street, this or something like this is an excellent option. Considering what I paid for it, I can't really complain.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
The Blog Returns! Reflecting on RYCO and plans for December.
Hey everyone,
First of all, I would like to apologize for leaving the blog behind for so long. After Run Your Can Off, I needed some time to crash and just get away from it for a little bit. Mind you, I am definitely getting back into the running groove, and figured that as such, I needed to actually post on the blog.
So, as you might be able to guess from the picture, I completed RYCO and got the medal. I managed to get 25 laps in just under six hours. That translates to just over 50K (or 31 miles and change for those of you who do not speak metric). A few observations. First of all, that little hill that seems so innocuous at the beginning seems like a cliff by about lap 18 or 19. Secondly, running for that long is pretty hard work. There were times where my legs started to feel like jelly, but I pushed on. (Seriously, I need to get into better shape). Nonetheless, I am very glad I did it, and I am fairly happy considering that was my first ultramarathon distance. I am also glad that the event helped the local food shelf. Plus, I made a few new friends, which is always good!
So here is what's next for me. I'm currently working my way back into decent high-mileage (for me) weeks - hoping to get over 40 miles for this week by Sunday. For the next month, I will be balancing this with holiday obligations. I don't have any races I have signed up for yet, but stay tuned, as I do have plans for next year. (For those in the know, your discretion is appreciated). I do plan on posting to the blog regularly-ish. As it is the holiday season, I may do a few product reviews. Of course if anyone has any suggestions about content, I am all ears. Until next time, I have to run. Take care everyone.
First of all, I would like to apologize for leaving the blog behind for so long. After Run Your Can Off, I needed some time to crash and just get away from it for a little bit. Mind you, I am definitely getting back into the running groove, and figured that as such, I needed to actually post on the blog.
So here is what's next for me. I'm currently working my way back into decent high-mileage (for me) weeks - hoping to get over 40 miles for this week by Sunday. For the next month, I will be balancing this with holiday obligations. I don't have any races I have signed up for yet, but stay tuned, as I do have plans for next year. (For those in the know, your discretion is appreciated). I do plan on posting to the blog regularly-ish. As it is the holiday season, I may do a few product reviews. Of course if anyone has any suggestions about content, I am all ears. Until next time, I have to run. Take care everyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)