Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Across Country Running

I woke up in a strange city today (not cuz of drugs - I'm in town for the annual meeting of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. Which, I suppose, is more like an equipment rather than a drug manufacturer). It used to be that I'd ask about the good places to eat or drink in town, but lately it's become a question of where I should go for a run.

Easily answered! Rather than looking at Yelp or Citysearch, I just fired up the computer and looked up the mapmyrun website. Quick address entry and a bunch of local routes showed up, sorted by mileage. Here's the curious low-tech/high-tech part: I wrote turn-by-turn directions on an index card, fired up the GPS watch (you can download routes onto the watch but the process is more cumbersome than it's worth), and went for a quick five-miler in an unfamiliar neighborhood - magic!

What we need now is a Yelp that reviews run routes... million dollar idea!

Merrell Trail Glove Update
I wrote that review after one six mile run; now, having logged a couple of more miles on them, a few more observations:
•It's possible to cinch the shoes on too tight in the midfoot, causing some pain on the toe extensors.
•My right foot is almost half a size smaller than my left foot, which usually results in a loose fit and blistering, particularly on my midsole where I've had successive generations of blisters and skin-sloughing. Out of this fear, I've been really cranking down on the laces, but I've discovered that tying the shies too tightly means the shoe's collar digs into the Achilles tendon, with the resultant pain, inflammation, and yes, blistering. What works, however, is to trust the shoes' fit and tying them with some moderation, rather than performing the equivalent of garroting your ankles.

Perfect Running Weather Through the Jersey 'Burbs (44F and Drizzly)
5.08 mi. 45 min.: 22.59 sec. 8:55 pace.

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