Gear Review - Gone for a Run Arm Warmers

My old arm warmers are looking pretty ragged.  I got them in Jan 2010 at the expo for my first Half Marathon.  The velcro on my aerobars have done a number on them - they're pulled and ratty looking.  

As part of my Gone for a Run Ambassadorship, I thought I'd give their arm warmers a try.  They come in all sorts of fun designs and well, I needed new ones anyways.  I ended up selecting the "Will run for beer" ones.  I thought it was appropriate.  Especially since I've been known to run to the local brewery and meet my husband for beers/dinner.

these are pretty cool looking

The Specs:

• Top nylon-spandex fabric
• UV protection 50+ and anti-bacterial fabric
• Compression fit with "stay put" grip
• Available in multiple sizes

Depending on design, the arm warmers range from $21.99 - $25.99.

sizing: 

SIZE	LENGTH	WIDTH (at top)
X-Small	16.25"	4.5"
Small	16.5"	4.5"
Medium	17.5"	4.75"

I ordered a small.  I measured my old arm warmers (laid them flat on the counter and measured the diameter at the top) and thought I'd be ok.  What I forgot was that my old arm warmers are VERY stretchy.  As a result, these arm warmers are pretty tight. 

I put them on for a chilly recovery ride on my bike.  I rarely use arm warmers for running but I like them for cycling.  

the true sign of a recovery ride: nothing matches

Thoughts

• they seemed to have more of a cooling effect than a warming effect when I was riding.  That wasn't so good as it was pretty chilly out.
• the text is screen printed, which is a bit stiff but not so stiff that you really noticed it.  I imagine it would soften up with time and use.
• the stretch was pretty good.  I didn't have any bunching at my elbows or too much tightness anywhere.
• the length was really good
• I really didn't like the grippy stuff at the top of the sleeves.  It irritated my skin.  If it did that on a 1 hour easy bike ride I don't think it would be pretty for a run.
• I almost wish I'd ordered a medium.

Overall, these were just ok.  I think I like my old arm warmers better, mainly because I like the fabric better.  (sorry)

But, if you need grips on your sleeves and want something with a cute slogan or colorful fabric, give these a try!

snazzy!

*disclaimer* Gone for a Run provided these arm warmers to me to wear and review.  All opinions remain my own.

Gear Review - PR//SOLES Recovery Sandals

I got these shoes in November and I've been meaning to review these guys for a LONG time.  I broke my toe in early December and it has been really, really cold here.  Both of these conditions aren't all that friendly for sandal wearing.  I also keep wanting to wear them after skiing, but I haven't figured out how to do that and not freeze.

We had a BEAUTIFUL weekend last weekend and I finally broke out the sandals for some extended wearing.  It was in the 60's both days.  I had a 10 mi race on Saturday and a 43 mile bike ride on Sunday - both of which were good opportunities to wear the sandals afterwards and see how they did.

post-cycling fashion statement.  Also: SHORTS IN JANUARY!

You can get these sandals from Gone for a Run and they come in pink/navy and orange/navy.  I got the pink because I did not want Broncos colors on my feet....

Blurb from the website:

PR SOLES are specifically designed for runners to provide the most comfortable post-run footwear option and promote recovery of sore and tired feet. Just step into these super comfortable sandals featuring ACUPOINT soles to have your feet massaged as you walk. PR SOLES are lightweight, breathable, waterproof and feature our unique foam cushioned acupoint soles for ultimate massaging comfort that both refresh and energize your feet. 

How do PR SOLES work? The unique raised ‘triggers’ on the acupoint soles activate nerve endings in the feet that send healing relief through the entire body. These triggers are specially designed to massage your feet improving circulation and breaking up painful lactic acid and uric acid that accumulate in the feet after a run or any extended time on your feet. 

Recover Faster and Smarter By slipping on PR||SOLES after a run or activity, the triggers will immediately engage your feet to increase circulation and nerve stimulation which benefits the entire body. Here are just a few of the benefits of applying massaging action to the feet: 
1. Improves circulation by stimulating blood flow, which will refresh the feet and legs. 
2. Breaks up accumulated wastes such as lactic and uric acid in the feet. 
3. Alleviates foot, leg and lower back pain 
4. Reduces swelling and tension 
5. Stimulates nerve endings benefiting the entire body 
6. Feet and legs recover faster

My plantar fascia have been pretty crabby with me, mainly because its off season, and in my dumb little head, off season means I can also take a break on restorative practices, such as massaging my feet daily to keep my PF happy.  I knew that after running 10 miles hard on Saturday my feet would be sore and tired and slipping on some nice sandals would feel REALLY good.  Post finish asthma attack, I put the sandals on and walked to the car and kept them on for pretty much the afternoon.  Then on Sunday, I wore them after my bike ride, around the house, and to the grocery store.  

Thoughts on the shoes:

• You really can feel the "triggers" (they look like those old eggfoam mattress pads) when you walk and they feel GOOD.
• The sole beds are firm enough for the trigger points some oomph but they're soft enough to be comfy.  In other words, the cushioning was just right, at least for me
• I like wearing sandals like this after cycling, mainly because I can keep my socks on.
• They are ugly (sorry).  They are a big and bulky (but also VERY light weight).  I'm not sure how you could improve on the looks though, since it seems these sandals are more function over form.
• The sizing on the website is a bit wonky.  I wear a size 9 in running shoes and 8.5 in most other shoes. I took the footbed out of my running shoes and compared that to the size chart and found that I should order a large in the sandals.  They arrived and were HUGE.  I sent them back and got mediums.  Still a bit big (they run wide and I have skinny feet) but with socks they fit just fine.
• I got to test out the Gone for a Run exchange process.  Super smooth and easy!

All in all, I think I'm going to get a lot of use out of these once the weather warms up.  They were really comfy and seemed to make my feet a little less crabby.

Cost: $29.99
Website link: http://www.goneforarun.com/PR_SOLES_Recovery_Sandals_s/1375.htm

*disclaimer* Gone for a Run provided these shoes to me to wear and review.  All opinions remain my own.

Gear Review - Yakety Yak Knee High Running Socks

I got these socks specifically to wear at my local Santa's Stampede 10k.  Race organizers give you a santa hat to wear, but I get warm easily and the fit on the hat is always wonky, so I end up holding the hat as I run. Not festive!  But now that I had these socks, I was festive and ready to run.

as modeled in my dining room, pre-race

Socks can be a bit risky for me, mainly because my feet hate me.  Really, my feet are very picky and its rare when I can pick something off the shelf and have it work for me.  (see: my collection of rarely worn but very cute running socks.  Honestly, there's only 2 or 3 brands out there that I can wear comfortably).  To add to the challenge, my right pinky toe was possibly broken.  I refuse to get it xrayed and it usually feels fine when I'm running.  Just don't ask me how it feels when I'm not running.  *sigh*  I haven't been able to wear most shoes (other than some old runners) and I had to be selective on my socks because anything too tight would hurt.  And here I was, going for a big PR in a 10k in strange socks.  No worries!

ready to run

These socks are very thin and lightweight.  I had plenty of room in my toes (they didn't bother my broken* toe).  They are a bit tight in the calf (see how stretched they are in the first photo), but the tightness wasn't uncomfortable.  In fact, it probably helped the socks stay up. There isn't any cushion to these, but I normally don't like cushion in my socks. These may look like compression socks, but they really aren't.  They're more like a fun lightweight tall sock.  So keep that in mind when you're buying and wearing them.  They come in a variety of colors and designs.  I definitely see myself getting these St Patrick's Day themed socks or these cute pink/green argyle ones in the future.  They cost $9.99 - very affordable for something "fun" to wear during races, on festive training runs, or when you need something cute or spunky as extra motivation to get out the door and run.

My race went really well, in fact I had a 5 minute PR and beat my goal by 35 seconds.  Along the course (and before and after the race) I got plenty comments about my socks.  They were definitely festive and easy to see!  As for performance, I didn't even notice them as I was running, which to me, is high praise.  My legs and feet felt awesome the entire race.  My toes had room to move and I never developed any hot spots or foot discomfort.  Hurray!

sprinting to the finish - all my husband had to do was look for the socks

Buy them at Gone for a Run, an online store for $9.99

Get 10% off through Dec 20, 2013 with the coupon code "GOTRIERIN10"

*disclaimer* Gone for a Run provided these socks to me to wear and review.  All opinions remain my own.

New Bike - progress

My new bike is hopefully in production.  I thought it would be fun to share the process of getting a completely hand-made custom bike.  This is probably the only time I get to do such a thing and I'm really enjoying the process.

Fit: As you can see from the before-after photo, I am much more forward (steeper down tube angle).


not to self: do not wear a fully zippered jersey or it will buckle and make you look like you have rolls.... ugh

Geometry:  This is the schematic of what my bike will look like.  I have no idea what the numbers mean, but I feel confident that this bike will be a perfect fit.

it would be nice if my name was spelled correctly....

I got to pick out my paint colors and design.  I asked them what my limits were.  They replied "its custom, you can do whatever you want!".  Translation "we'll do whatever you want - it will just cost you!"  I had some general colors and layouts in mind, so I made an appointment to meet with Pete (Alchemy's graphics and social media guru) to design my paint scheme. 
The carbon work they do is all by hand and it is amazing.  They hand-wrap all the joints.  The result is this very funky, geometric pattern which looks like art but is actually functional:


close up of some carbon work



Alchemy and Shama Cycle build which won Best in Carbon at NAHBS 2 weeks ago.  this is all carbon - no paint

The carbon work is really unique and really speaks to how special the frame is.  The guys at the shop basically begged me to keep the carbon work exposed.  I agree, it would be a shame to cover it up, especially since that's the thing I gravitate to when I look at one of their bikes.

I spent a week thinking on the colors.  I liked how bright Buzz was and with his yellow paint and bar wrap I always knew, without question, which bike was mine in transition.  I wanted something similar, but with colors that are more "me".  I didn't want to pick anything too trendy, but I probably did.  That pretty and intense dark fuscia / bright purple has been a color obsession of mine for the past year or so.  I love that color.  Its trendy right now.  But it speaks to me.  And I'm adding some bright green (more spring green than neon green) accents, to make the bike pop.  I'm guessing that my cables and bar wrap will also be green.  And I may get some purple metal accents.

Pete and I sat down for nearly 2 hours and went through the process of selecting the graphics, building color blocks, adding logos, and placing pinstripes. 

The "free" graphic option consisted of base carbon and vinyl logo stickers.  For a $4500 frame, the base option is freaking stickers?  That made me a bit cranky.  Looks like this build was going to increase in price.  We settled on the design and I asked to get a cost estimate, just to make sure I didn't go too crazy.  Turns out, my paint job is one step shy of full custom - its a Level 3 paint effort, mainly because of the work that the green color block/purple Alchemy logo will need.  It turns out that if I did one color, it would only be $300 cheaper.  I'm already way deep into this bike, in terms of money and budget, but I also know that I'd be crabby if I didn't go ahead and spend the extra $300 (not even 5% of this bike) to get a graphic that really pops.

So, this will be my bike:  purple and green, with exposed carbon, and clear pearl top coat.

I can't wait to ride it.

What I've been running in lately

I is (was?) a diehard Newtons fan.  Love(ed?) those things.  I've also run in Brooks before (Adrenalines in 2011) but got shin splints (not sure if it was shoe related) and went back to my Newts.  Back in December, I was at a club event at my local running store and gravitated to the hot pink shoes.  I tried on some Altras (zero drop, very minimal) but ultimately ended up with the Brooks PureFlow2s.  They have a 4mm heel drop, are crazy light, and are SUPER cushy. 

Did I mention these were bright pink?

I got these with the intent of wearing these occasionally, something just for fun runs.  What suprises me is that these are the shoes I grab every single time I head out to run.  They're really comfy and my feet and legs seem to like them.  As a bonus, they're $100 and I can usually get them at a 20% discount from my local running store. 

Jury is out on durability or how they respond on long runs.  My feet started to hurt around mile 8 of my 10 mile race last Saturday, but that could be attributed to not running that far.  Every other run in these has been great.

Gear I Use - Compression

Compression gear is the one piece of recovery equipment that I cannot live without.  I love the stuff.  Its ugly, but wow, I really love it.

I first used compression socks in 2010, when I started developing shin splits from training for my first HIM.  I somehow (probably with internet research) stumbled upon CEP brand socks.  It turns out, these are some of the best socks I've ever used.

I own the white/orange ones.  I also got the white/grey/black ones last summer at a screaming deal, but the house gremlins have run off with them.  They are no where to be found.  So today, I sucked it up and bought a new pair - in PINK.

I don't actually run in them.  I haven't tried.  I'm very particular about my socks when I run.  I keep trying new kinds and I keep going back to my trusty Wright socks.  Maybe someday I'll run with the CEP socks.  Not sure I'd do it during a triathlon, though.  These suckers are TIGHT and the thought of wrestling them on while wet in transition doesn't sound appealing (or fast).

I also love to wear my CEP socks while skiing, usually under my wool ski socks.  Upon perusing the interwebs for cheap CEP socks today, I discovered that they sell ski socks.  So I have some in pink/black, which matches my new Vokyl Aura skis :)

As much as I love the CEP socks, I really don't like their calf sleeves.  I toyed with the idea of running with calf sleeves during IMTX last year.  A good friend of mine (who runs marathons) really loves wearing them, so I thought I'd give them a whirl.  I tried on CEPs and Zoots.  CEPs were pretty stretchy and not super tight.  The Zoots are made from pretty thick material and are also very tight.  I like wearing these as recovery sleeves during the summer, so I can wear sandals instead of bulky shoes to cover up the socks.  I've also ran a few races in the sleeves, mostly for added leg warmth, not for compression.  I wore them 2 weeks ago and they didn't bother me, so I may be wearing them more often.

They're also a little easier to wear in triathlons, since you can easily wear them under your wetsuit (or swim with them sans wetsuit) and avoid the transition wrestling match.  They're pretty heavy though, so I'm thinking my legs would get pretty warm.  Again, something to experiment with.

Finally, my very favorite compression torture devide - compression tights.  I freaking LOVE these things.  Espeically when combined with compression socks.  I have been known to rock my tights under a skirt while at the grocery store or out to lunch.  And of course I wear them when I fly home after a race.  I look pretty amazing in them. 

Random aside: if you see someone on a flight wearing this stuff, chances are, they're a tri-dork.  Flying back to Denver after IMTX 70.3 and IMTX, there were so many people wearing this stuff.  It was very cool and also very amusing. 

The key is to get the RECOVERY tights and not the running compression tights.  The recovery ones are much tighter.  And much better.  They are, however, nearly impossible to put on easily or quietly.  I have scarred the poor kitties for life multiple times with my grunting, trying to get these damn things on after a hard workout.

I typically wear the socks on Mondays (my rest day) and the afternoon/evening after my hard Saturday/Sunday workouts.  I've only slept in them once.  I don't know why, there's just something about sleeping with compression socks that makes me nervous.  I will wear the tights after a super hard workout.  And I generally save the sleeves for when I need extra warmth when racing or for extra recovery in the summer when I don't want to wear socks.  They are expensive, but I use them all the time, so to me the expense is worth it.

Gear I Use - The Stick

I thought it would be fun to chronicle training tools / gear / stuff that I use on a frequent basis or that I really love.  Today's gear is The Stick.

The one I have is about 20 inches long.  The handles are grippy and the middle is made of some sort of slightly flexible plastic core with white "marshmallow" segments that move freely around the core.  You use this thing as a self massage tool. 

I like to roll my legs out while watching tv, usually my quads and calves, the night after a hard workout.  Hamstrings and glutes are harder to get to - I usually lay face down on the bed and had Will roll those out.  You start with about 20 initial easy pressure rolls along the entire muscle group and then you can really get to work.  What I really like about this torture device is that you can really feel where knots are, pinpoint them, work on them, then roll the whole muscle out.  Your control is much more exact - you control the pressure and location.  This sucker is similar to a foam roller, but is so much better (and easier to use).

Lately my calves have been bothering me because they are crazy tight.  I have one knot in each of my upper calves that I call my "little friend".  I'm trying to roll my calves out ~4 x a week (honestly, its whenever I remember to do it) in hopes that my calves loosen up and I won't have to get Graston done to them.

The other nice thing about the stick is that its fairly small.  Foam rollers are kind-of big and in the way... and ugly.  The Stick is really small and hides easily.  I hide it under the coffee table or under my nightstand.  And it fits in a carry-on suitcase! Try doing that with your foam roller!

The price is ~$25, depending on where you buy it from.  I really love this thing and I feel that it makes a huge difference in getting my quads to recovery quickly after a hard workout.

What I'm wearing for IMTX

I'm 90% sure this will stick - hard to tell, since I've been training in 30-50 degree weather for the past several months, with really only one hot day (Lonestar) to test things out.

Swim:
This was my splurge (full disclosure: birthday present from Will).

TYR Torque Elite Speedskin

IMTX won't be wetsuit legal, which doesn't bother me in the slightest.  What does bother me is all the drag from my tri kit - swimming in that thing drives me bonkers.  I thought about swimming in my speedo, but then the idea of wrestling out of a wet speedo and wrestling into my cycling outfit (while wet) wasn't very appealing.  With the Speedskin, I can wear my cycling kit underneath AND I won't have to worry about all the drag. 

I ordered the Torque from The Tri Shop and I cannot recommend them enough.  They had the cheapest price and a really cool "try it on" policy, where you can order 2 different sizes and they'll include a pre-paid shipping label for you to return one of them.  I had an issue with the medium Torque (the zipper stop came unstitched the first time I used it and jammed the zipper about 2 inches above the bottom - made it REALLY hard to get out of the suit!)  I emailed the shop owner, and while they were out of stock in the Medium size, he contacted TYR and had them send me one directly.  I ended up hanging onto the large much longer than their "try it on" policy allows, but he was extremely understanding about the whole thing.  They also tossed in a pair of Timex compression socks for free - very cool.

Goggles - TYR Velocity.  I had a brand of goggles that I loved (Lane 4 Supernova) and sadly, they were discontinued ~1.5 years ago.  Since then, I've been struggling to find goggles that are comfortable.  I have a high bridge, and its hard for me to find goggles that don't hurt the top or sides of my nose.  These are very fairly priced ($15) and are really comfortable.  The orange/smoke color combo is really ugly, but that just adds to the appeal.

Bike:
I've been playing around with bike sorts all year, trying to figure out which ones were "just right".  I'm still not sure I've found the holy grail, but hopefully what I've settled on will be ok.  I am opting to wear tri shorts with a distance pad (ie more substantial than a typical fleece pad).  I've found that the chamois in cycling shorts is just TOO much for me and bunches up in the wrong places and makes long rides really uncomfortable.  I got a pair of Oomph Lava distance shorts in January - got a size medium hoping I'd lose weight.  The waist band is the narrow elastic variety, and early in the season, after ~5 hours it would cut into my waist and be a bit uncomfortable.  The pad, however, was actually pretty good - it has (for lack of a better description) "wings" that go down your inseam a few inches, so you avoid an extra seam or bunching.  My other idea was the Pearl Izumi Elite In-R-Cool tri shorts.  They have a more substantial pad than their other tri shorts and more compression.  There are 2 problems with these shorts, though....., First, there's a big ol' serged seam adjacent to the chamois - which means you have the chamois edge AND this add'l seam as contact/shafe points.  Not cool.  The other negative (for me) is that while the back of the shorts is nice and high, the front is VERY low.  This may be ok if you are a stick, but not so ok if you are like the rest of us - the waist band just migrates down during the run, making things hang out which really shouldn't show.  I realize this waistband was probably designed for pure cycling, but for tri's its BAD.  These are ok for a few hours on the bike, but due to the chamois seaming, 112 miles is a no-go.  I wore the Oomphs last weekend as a "last ditch" trial, and I guess the whopping 3 pounds I've lost in the past few weeks (ironically the ONLY weight I've lost) seemed to do the trick.  It wasn't until maybe 5 hours where the waist band bothered me, but it really wasn't very awful at all.

On top, I'll wear my new Pearl Izumi Elite Tri Support Singlet.  I like that its got built in support (I don't need much) and its CUTE.

During Lonestar, despite 2 visits to the sunscreen table, my back was pretty badly burned around the strap lines of my top.  I'm thinking of getting DeSoto cool wings to help alleviate the sunburn and to also help with the heat:

Run:
I'll be wearing my top from the bike (hopefully there aren't any weird chafing issues - I was ok for Lonestar, so here's hoping!).  For shorts, I've decided that I'm going to wear a different pair of tri shorts.  The Oomphs don't seem like they'd be comfortable for running, and I like the compression of long shorts for the run, as opposed to wearing traditional running shorts or a skirt.  I have compression running shorts, but the seams are not placed well and start to bother me at the end of a half marathon.  The seams in tri shorts are more more friendly and I still get compression.  I'll be wearing my Pearl Izumi Select shorts.  They don't have the weird low rise as my other PI shorts, but they still have the nice wide (and flattering!) waistband.

For hydration, I've typically worn a hydration belt (I have an Amphipod brand one), but they're really only good for ~3 hours.  For Lonestar I switched to a small hand-held bottle (Nathan brand) and concentrated a ~2 hour mix of Infinit. I found this particular bottle REALLY comfortable - the wrist band is such that you just loop your hand through it and you don't actually have to grip the bottle.  I have an Amphipod 20 oz hand-held bottle, and while I like it, after a few hours, your hand gets REALLY tired of holding onto it, because you actually have to hold onto the bottle, even with the wrist-support.  The Nathan one is small, but super easy to hang on to.

Socks - I am a HUGE fan of Wright socks.  They have 2 thin layers which prevent blisters.  Before discovering these socks, I was a blister-magnet.  Since switching to them (knock on wood), I've been blister free.  Love. Them.  As a bonus, you can usually find them on sale at REI Outlet.

Shoes - Brooks Adrenaline GTS II.  I have 2 pairs and will most likely be keeping one pair in my special needs bag to change at the half way point.  At Lonestar, my feet began to hurt from being wet for so long, so I thought that some nice dry shoes would be a mood lifter.
 

Hat - still undecided.  Do I wear my Jamba Juice visor, my TriGirl hat, or nothing at all?  Still not sure about this critical decision yet ;)

New Shoes!

I recently had a friend of mine post on facebook how she was home visiting her mom and went shopping.  Strange part was that she wasn't shopping for sports related clothing or equipment.  She was shopping for "normal" stuff most women buy.

I couldn't even tell you the last time I purchased clothing that was not intended for athletic endeavours.  I'm not sure how I feel about that.  The last "non athletic" shoes I bought were a couple pairs of flats (Bare Trap - super cute and comfy!) for work, think I got them sometime in March or April.  Only purchased them because with all my running I just couldn't wear heels anymore (even a tiny heel) and I was getting stink-eye from coworkers from wearing my running shoes in the office.  So I bascially bought nice comfy shoes that may or may not resemble fancy slippers.

Last week the balls of my feet were sore.  Now, my feet are tweaky anyways, but this wasn't normal.  I thought it could be residual soreness from my century ride, but it had been nearly 10 days since the ride and my feet were still sore.  So after my 10 mile run on Saturday, I figured out I had put 271 miles on my shoes since March, which meant that I was probably close to needing a new pair.  I was a bit bummed they were done so early, which meant I likely needed to switch from my beloved New Balance 76X series to something more durable.

Changing shoes always makes me nervous.  Two foot surgeries and a broken foot make for very nervous feet.

My brick on Sunday confirmed things - I needed new shoes.  Didn't want to draw things out, so I trundled over to Luke's Locker to see what the options where.  Sarah looked at the bottom of my shoes - worn almost all the way to the base under the balls of my foot.  She had me run around barefoot to judge my gait - asked if I was purposely running fore-foot.  Nope, that's just how I run.  (or I suppose that's how I run.  barefoot through a store with people watching me.  not exactly normal conditions....)  She thought I had a bit of life left in the NB's but agreed that I needed a shoe that was more durable.  We tried on some Brooks Adrenaline GT10s.  They felt cushy under the balls of my feet, were narrow enough in the heel so my very narrow heels stayed put, and had plenty of room in the toebox.  Even though my feet are very narrow, I prefer normal width shoes and a generous toe-box.  Something about I don't like having things rubbing against my two outermost toes, which were the ones that I had surgery on.  They're fully recovered, but still, I don't like stuff on my toes.  Weird.  Then I tried on some Asics.  Eh.  Then Sarah got a gleam in her eye and whipped out the Newtons.  Asked me if I was game.  I told her that I was intrigued but never had the courage to try some one.  I tried on the Modus ones, which are the stability model.  Very funky.  But intriguing.  I'm all about ugly/crazy/shiny so of course I had to get them.  And I decided to get the Brooks as well, for a "daily runner". 

I can't wait to try them both out.  I will have to be patient with the Newtons - they recommend only running 1 mile (just one!) for the first few weeks, and then you can build your distance by 10 minutes.  My coworker ran 3 miles in his Newtons on his first time out and he's been limping around with a strained calf for 10 days.  But he's a boy and a bit on the crazy side, so I think I will be wiser and smarter.  Still, only running a mile is weird.  I guess I will run 2-3 miles tomorrow in my Brooks then swing by the house and do a quick transition into the Newtons for a mile.  I hope that since I was already running forefoot (based on the wear pattern on my NBs) that the transition should go ok.  We shall see.

Its weird - I'm actually EXCITED to run.  Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be excited to run.  Very cool stuff.