The 10 Mile Mark

I went 10 miles with Rachel Monday, my farthest distance ever and under 2 hours, 15 minutes. Yes that was a plog and yes the feet hurt.

We stopped at least 4 times to pull on my toes.... I don't know what the deal is with my toes.....

But pulling on them and pushing on the ball seems to release the pain spots for anther couple of miles. As we mess with them, my toes begin to cramp up and become rigid, weird.

Anyway, we also experimented with a couple of stocking stuffers... a running belt that holds energy food for the Marathon.

The first thing was how comfortable the belt is... I don't even know it is there riding low on my hips. But the GU Tube, Tri-Berry flavor, was dreadful. I don't know if it is the viscosity or the taste or what but the idea is you tear open this little tube and squeeze the goo in your mouth and then grab a cup of water to wash it down. I was plogging with a water bottle in one hand and the pod in the other so juggling all that while walking was a trick. But I got it open and squeezed some goo in and tried to dissolve it with my tongue, which rebelled against this invader mightily. It took five more squeezes and plenty of gagging to get it all down and apparently, the orange one isn't any better.

I decided right then and there those will probably not be hitching a ride in March but the GU chews , watermelon, were much better. Now, getting that package to tear open is another matter. I will have to cut small tear seams before the next run.

There are sport beans as well to test drive, they look like jelly beans but have electrolytes to boost the "athlete" (yeah right... that's what I am , an ATHlete she said, channelling Jon Lovitz.

So I popped into Academy to find an armstrap for my phone. The device has the interval timer and the Nike lozenge and so far I have been holding it while plogging along but that gets me slightly nervous as the distance increases. I could drop it, for example.....

They had at least five different armstraps and I tested every one of them before settling on one that comes two to a pack: and black one and a white one. I really liked one that had a clearview window that I could see through and even touch to open an app without taking the whole phone out (unlike the ones I selected) but the strap was a bulky velcro thing that I worried would chaff my upper arm as it swung back and forth.

But check this out! This site shows how to sew one! And I have clear plastic "fabric" to make the window thing and can adjust the strap so it doesn't double under my arm but behind it instead. Hmmmmm

They also carried the Sport Beans so I bought a couple of flavors and if the others are as tasty as the watermelon, we have found a winner! They taste like slightly salty Jelly Beans.

After this I wandered over to the clothes to see what they had regarding running gear. My cousin runs in a tennis skirt and says they are very comfortable but I don't know how I feel about wearing such just now.... I like the yoga pants I have been wearing. BUt I don't know what the weather will be like on March 4. It could be hot and humid or cold and blustery. So I'll just keep waiting.