Have you ever had grand training plans for the weekend, but then something happened to screw them up? Well, that happened to me this weekend. I had all these grand ideas about training, and then I started feeling sick with a cold on Saturday morning. Of course, I didn’t notice this until I was 3 miles into my 8 mile run out in -13 degree windchill weather. I turned around and ended up with a good 6 miles.
I missed my triathlon kickoff party. I missed my other workouts that I was supposed to do over the weekend. Sunday, I barely got off the couch. It helped a lot. I just slept a lot and hydrated.
When I woke up today, I felt a lot better and decided to make up some missed workouts. I took it easy though. I don’t want to get really sick due to my own stubborn stupidity. It happens. I’m listening to my body more this year, and I think it is paying off.
For instance, when I started getting shin splints a couple of weeks ago from running, I knew it was time for new shoes. I finally got them in the mail!
For trail running/regular road running, I purchased the Asics Gel Enduro-6.
It got great reviews on Zappos.com, and it was last year’s model so it was 40% off. Sweet!! Plus, it has pink shoelaces. And really, that is what makes a great running shoe, right?
Anyway, I just ran my 6 miler on Saturday in these, and I pretty much hurt all over since I was sick. I’m hoping to not be hurting the next time I run in them so I can give you guys an unbiased/”unsick” review.
For racing and speedwork days, I purchased the Saucony Grid Fastwitch 5. This shoe was not on sale, unfortunately, but that is fine.
They are bright, obnoxious, and I love them! I ran in them today on the tready just to break them in a little, and they felt great. They hugged my feet, and that is hard to do considering I have really narrow feet.
I’m not a one brand type of shoe girl (unless I get a sponsorship!). I like trying new shoes out. I do love the Brooks Adrenaline though, and often when I don’t know which shoe to pick or don’t have the time to do the shoe research (which happens every time I buy shoes), I will go with a Brooks shoe.
I also received this swim cap last week from Donna at Beating Limitations. She is just sending them out to people out of the goodness of her heart and to raise awareness for Charcot Marie Tooth Disease. Please check out her site or become her friend on Twitter to see what you can do, and maybe she’ll send you a cap!
I got some swimming done in it today, and I love the cap! It stayed in place. I got a few weird looks since I was swimming with a cap that said “Twitter #Swim,” but oh well! Thanks, Donna!
After several failed attempts at taking a pic of myself in this cap, I had to ask a poor woman putting on her make-up at the gym to take this pic. Not the best, but I’ll take it.
I don’t mean to totally change the subject, but have you started thinking about your garden yet?? Hometown Seeds contacted me to let me know about a special deal for Geek Turned Athlete readers. You get $5 off a $25 order on their site by entering in spring 2011 for a coupon code through March 15, 2011. 20% off sounds good to me!
Are there any running shoes that you are just crazy about?
Do you swim on a regular basis?
Have you started your garden yet or at least started thinking about what you are going to grow? I can’t wait for the snow to melt away!!!
Erica February 28, 2011 at 3:51 pm
I love both shoes! Brightly colored shoes are fun
For cross trainers, I’m a Ryka addict. Plus they give a discount to fitness professionals- which is fab! Glad to hear you’re feeling better! I have started to think about my garden. My Dad got certified as a master gardener last year- so I’m making him help me 
Nicole February 28, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Um yeah! I would totally utilize that knowledge!!
Tanya February 28, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Hope you’re feeling better. I fail at gardening, but I’m trying again this year! And I haven’t discovered the shoe brand for me yet. I like Addidas, but I had problems with the toe part being too narrow – thus getting blisters
I’m on the hunt for a new pair of shoes though. And I just started swimming regularly – love it!
Tanya recently posted..The Week That Was and Will Be
Ally (oatsandspice) February 28, 2011 at 4:32 pm
I LOVE the new shoes – they are so cute!
Ally (oatsandspice) recently posted..A Call For Good Help
Sarah for Real February 28, 2011 at 4:39 pm
I used to swim more often in college. I miss it and want to get back but… One of my gyms has a weird shorty pool that isn’t quite the right length so they never put out those floaty lane thingys and the other location is a maze of halls and stairs and I literally have no clue how to get to the pool! I can SEE it, but I can’t GET to it.
We will probably start planting our greenhouse in March, great timing on the coupon code! Thanks
Lisa February 28, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Yep! I swim on a regular basis. I swam 3 x a week in order to lose my 100 pounds. Now I swim 2x a week and crosstrain.
When I was a kid I was on the swim team and did synchronized swimming.
Nicole February 28, 2011 at 4:59 pm
That is so cool!!
Nrmrvrk February 28, 2011 at 5:26 pm
1) shoes:
Crazy about:
New Balance MT101
Bare feet
Pretty good about:
Brooks Cascadia 5
Vasque Transistor FS
Brooks Defyance
Asics Gel Kayano
So-so about:
Brooks Launch
Brooks Cascadia 6
Crap about:
Brooks Adrenaline
Saucony Grid Stabil
Brooks Beast
Asics Gel MC
2) Nope. No time to swim with all of the running
3) The wife is in charge of planning for the garden. She calls me in when there’s weeding, bed turning, and planting to do.
Nrmrvrk recently posted..Finally a proper week of training – and an Owl!
Nicole February 28, 2011 at 7:08 pm
3) haha. That is what I will be calling my husband in for.
lindsay February 28, 2011 at 5:42 pm
oh that happend to me last week. No 20 miler, instead I went to yoga. No making it up, just easing back in. Gotta be smart this time!
I love my kwiss misouls. The hubs is sponsored by them but they really do ROCK! My second favorite in saucony!
lindsay recently posted..Challenge Complete
Nicole February 28, 2011 at 7:09 pm
I have never tried KSwiss. Those might be my next shoes to try out.
Beth February 28, 2011 at 6:36 pm
I really love my Mizuno Wave Riders, but I’ve worn just about every brand in the past. I love the colors of your new shoes. At least people will be able to spot you!
I’ve been trying to swim more lately. Getting in 1-2 swims per week, but will have to ramp that up to 3 times when I get into tri season. I LOVE the cap!
Beth recently posted..Weekend Recap and Weekly Review
Toronto Girl West February 28, 2011 at 7:32 pm
That swim cap is really really cute!
Toronto Girl West recently posted..The Tracy Anderson Method- “What Kind of Body are you in the Market for”
Megan February 28, 2011 at 7:33 pm
I love that swim cap! So cute! I swim pretty regularly – I try for 3 days a week. But my swims have only been about 1000 yards each, so nothing serious. Still trying to get back in the swing of things for the tri season.
Leila @ Spinach and Skittles February 28, 2011 at 9:45 pm
My hubs just bought all our seeds, (at seedsavers.org), last week. We bought our house in September, so we missed last summer’s growing season
Our townhouse deck provided some homegrown goodies, but this spring he is building beds for our backyard. I can’t wait to have a REAL garden 
Leila @ Spinach and Skittles recently posted..Slacker Sunday
Kacy March 1, 2011 at 4:55 am
Woo hoo new shoes! Now that I work at a running store I’m obsessed with running shoes. My faves are Newton Lady Isaac, Mizuno Wave Inspire and Brooks Trance. I’m going to buy a pair of Brooks Ravenna’s next though. The Trance’s were actually to stable for what I need, so I’m thinking these will be great. Just gotta wait one more pay check
Enjoy the new kicks!
I don’t know how to swim correctly, but I do hope to learn someday as I’d like to do a tri within the next couple years!
Ash March 1, 2011 at 5:20 am
I enjoy my asics but don’t have a tone of brand loyalty. Whatever fits well, haha!
I barely ever swim and I’m actually terrible at it. I can’t do the correct swim moves…doggy paddle is pretty much what I do. Sad, I know!
I don’t garden. I attempted tomatoes and cucumbers last year….didn’t go well. They got some sort of fungus on them or something. It was awful.
Ash recently posted..Mary Kay BUST
Heather (Where's the Beach) March 1, 2011 at 5:50 am
I am soooo ready to get my garden in order. As for shoes….I fell in love with the Saucony Ride 3 (neutral shoe) but they wear really really quickly (too quickly to be affordable) on the outside edge. As in 200 miles the tread is GONE. So, now I’m trying out Brooks Ghost. I like them well enough, but not in love with them like the Saucony.
Heather (Where’s the Beach) recently posted..Last Long Run & Day at the Track
Chloe March 1, 2011 at 10:23 am
I have never tried using different sneakers for racing or speedwork? I use the Brooks Adrenaline GTS’ and LOVE LOVE LOVE them. Do you compete in tri sneakers? if so..which ones?
ps: totally know what it feels like to have a great weekend of workouts planned and then have it all go down the drains. no fun. but you gota listen to your body!
Chloe recently posted..February Eating Club!!!
Nicole March 1, 2011 at 10:44 am
I usually just use my speedwork/racing running shoes for triathlon as well. If I was made out of money, that may be a different story. They are lighter than the regular trainers.
Megan March 1, 2011 at 10:37 am
I LOVE the Twitter#Swim cap. I also have one. And the fastwitch 5s look h-o-t. I loved racing in Saucony shoes last year. I had a kickass marathon in my iron-distance race in them, even though I didn’t want to start the run after a horrific bike…
anyway, you know my take on the swim-side of things. Let’s get in a hellacious training weekend this round, k? I’ll motivate you if you motivate me
Nicole March 1, 2011 at 10:42 am
Sounds good, lady!! Let’s get our swim on!!
Danielle March 1, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Oh my gosh, I love your ridiculously bright shoes! I don’t really know what kind of shoes mine are… They were forced upon me by my mom after she realized that I kept trying to work out in either bare feet or Chucks… hehe…
Danielle recently posted..Doctor’s Visit and HvZ
Nicole March 1, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Girl!! I’m glad she gave you some shoes! haha
Andy March 3, 2011 at 8:53 am
Glad to see you are feeling better! When you miss them by a day, I will always try to make them up, but if it gets past that, I just let them go. You can never actually get that day back, so there is no point on making up the workout. But like I said, if it is a next day thing, DO IT. I only use one pair of shoes (I will transition between shoes when I get new ones), I would like to have a pair of race shoes, but I don’t. I have been using the Asics GT-21X0 series for three years now. I used New Balance origianlly, and then I tried to fix something that was not broken. Went through Nike, Brook, Saucony, and then finally found Asics.
Love the swim cap. I usually swim 2-3 days a week, I need to make it 3-4 days a week because it is one of the places that I know where I cna make a big improvement. My roommate gardens and she is getting everything prepared.
Andy recently posted..Bike Parts- Closed Pools and Charities!
Nicole March 3, 2011 at 9:32 am
I agree with you. I don’t swim that often because it is my worst sport, but really I should be doing it the most!
Jena March 3, 2011 at 10:19 am
I love those blue & yellow shoes! How bright and fun! I don’t have brand loyalty, I’ll buy whatever makes my run more comfortable. Prior to running I always wore Nike so when I started running i switched to their bauermann series of shoe. .. recently I switched to Brooks Adrenalines. The Nikes just didn’t last as long as I would have liked. I’ve about 25mi in them so far.. They appear to be good so far.
I don’t swim. I mean, I know how, and I swim when I go to the beach, but I don’t go to a pool and swim for exercise.
I would LOVE to start a garden, but our backyard is not big, and I don’t think we could keep our dogs out of it. annnnd, my husband said no.
Jena recently posted..Check me out!