Rough week/Tapering now... - (47/84)

Hey everyone. It's been a really rough week in my life. While I won't go into all of the details, let's just say that my professional life hasn't been going great.

Due to all of this and an upcoming trip, I haven't really been too into working out this week. I know that I need to get back to it and probably will tonight, but I wanted to post so you all had a communication from me.

I'm feeling ok and I have gotten all of my running gear together. I'm packing all of it up and organizing for my upcoming half marathon on May 6th. I have a bit of a fascination with gadgets and use a few of them to make running easier and more enjoyable. I have been testing and using the following gear.

Alex's Running Gear:

• Garmin Forerunner 301 - Great GPS unit to keep track of how far I run and how hard I work. It also allows me to report lap times to all of you.


• Amphipod RunLite Hydration Belt - Not so much for water anymore, I use it for the pouch to keep PowerGels handy and to attach number tabs for races. It works really well for carrying light items.


• NorthFace DogFish Hydration pack - This has replaced the Amphipod for water on really long runs. I got the tip on this from Dean Karnazes' website as it is what he uses. It is designed for runners with mesh shoulder straps and a light weight and low profile. I have been using it for just a few runs and I love it!


• Apple iPod Shuffle - I really enjoy listening to music while I run and the iPod is small and perfect for this. I clip it to the Amphipod belt and rock out!


• Brooks Beast shoes - I have been trying these shoes out for a while now. I think they're getting close to retirement as I am a big guy and they have over 200 miles on them as of now. I know by the time I'm done with the half marathon I'll be closing in on 300. I have a new pair of shoes in the wings and will do a review on them soon. I like the Brooks, but they are very stiff and kind of heavy. If you really need a VERY supportive shoe, they work great. Otherwise they seem to be a bit excessive.

That's it for this week, sorry for the lack of posting. I've been a bit off lately... I'll get back to it as soon as I can and get back to all of you.

See you on the roads folks!
Alex