[52] UK Destination Evaluation

My vacation is winding down, and shortly, it will be time to return to reality (and training). I had a lovely time in the lands of fish and chips, but I have been a bit lax about eating properly. No sooner do I arrive home, I will need to hit the ground running-- starting with moving into my new apartment.

[Races]

• Scotland: Thoroughly enjoyed the panoramic view of Edinburgh, greeting the Queen's swans, and having a fantastic time with my gal pal, Sarah with Race for Life. Learned that I will need to start working on fartleks if I ever intend on attempting a sprint finish without having my diaphragm chuck my lungs out through my throat.
• Ireland: I could smell the nature and loved the big scale feel for a small town community at the Enniscorthy Strawberry Half-Marathon series. Prior to my leaving Ireland, my host's son asked me when I was coming back. It may not be for a while, but I would certainly love to give that namesake half-marathon a go one day.

[Missed Opportunties]

• England: I looked forward to attempting my first official trail race, yet simply I ended up without a response to my inquiry. Bummer.
• Wales: Perhaps by the next time I cross the pond to the British Isles, I'll be bold enough to subject myself to a triathalon. Who knows? I could run into Pippa! If not, there's always the Llanelli Waterside 10K!
• Mid-summer Munro: Though it clocked at whopping 99% satisfaction rating by RWUK readers, I am still skeptical about participating in something which has been described as "more painful than childbirth."

I fully intended on investining in some pieces of British runwear, but backed out when I saw the price tags. Even items on sale were more expensive that US retail, so I elected to invest in the next best thing: sweets and whiskey.

[Magazine Reviews]

I will be schlepping home some new shiny running glossies courtesy of Runner's World UK and Irish Runner. Though the overall gist of these magazines are comparable to what I read in the US, it is nice to have some mementos of my excursion across the Atlantic Ocean. Picking them apart after reading them was quite enjoyable.

[Gear Test Drive]

GPS difficulties in Edinburgh and linking my finicky Polar WearLink+ Heart Rate Monitor aside, I am rapidly falling in love with my Nike+ GPS SportWatch. Prior to my trip, I received compliments from my colleagues, including on IronMan/Triathlete who took one look at it and said to his wife, "I want one, too!" I wanted to save my iPhone's battery in the event of an emergency, and receiving 10% the MSRP thanks to my beloved Westchester Road Runner Shop, I found this a worthwhile investment. Once I manage to log a few more runs and get the HRM linked, I intend on writing a more in-depth review.

I will say that it did surprise me while I was at Blarney Castle. I heard a beep and looked down. "Let's go for a run together, okay?" I feel like I invested in a DigiPet, and I am going to be doing all the work!

[Looking Forward]

July's racing card is heavy, and proper training will be essential for both physical and mental health. With work responisbilities being whittled down to my part-time day work only, I can structure a solid plan so as to prepare for the following:

• July 9th: Boomer's Cystic Fibrosis Run to Breathe 10K (8AM)
• July 16th: Central Park Conservancy's Run for Central Park (4Mi; 9AM)
• July 30th: Queens Half-Marathon (13.1Mi; 7AM)

With the heat and humidity of New York summer, I have the sneaking suspicion I will not be sleeping in this summer! I do look forward to raiding the PepsiCo Farmer's market for healthy goodies to treat myself to throughout the summer training process.

Alas, the one race I was hoping to wiggle into during my trip to Japan has sold out. The time I am traveling to the Far East coincides with a very spiritual time of year, but it is also traditionally one spent with families honoring one's ancestors. Bottom line: racing at "Obon" period is minimal. This means I will need to be motivated to kick myself out the door in the mornings and run solo. In Tottori, this should not prove to be a problem as after five years of living there, I can safely run without hesitation. It's just everywhere else, I will either need to discover a run club or find a running buddy.

Looks like I need to start chasing up the Nike Run Clubs in Japan!

[24] Cycling Through

It has been a while since I visited Westchester Road Runner (White Plains, NY). I think the last time I dropped by was prior to going to San Francisco for the Nike Women's Half back in October. Usually I gravitate to the back of the store where the women's running, but today it was the cycling shirts which caught my eye. With the First Day of Spring rapidly approaching, my cabin fever is at full tilt. I want the wind, rain, sleet, snow, ice, and hail to finally take a hike, so I can get my Vitamin D filled sunshine! I found several cycling shirts (Dolce, Sparrow, Aphrodite, Sakura, Spritzer & Solyaris) by Primal Wear which I really like. Several of them have matching bottoms which when purchased together are slightly cheaper, but I am leaning toward a standard padded short in black and then a couple of shirts.

Primal Wear's Lotus Women's Cycling Jersey ($66.95)

Unlike running, cycling is a much more considerable investment. This is largely due to the fact that I currently do not possess a bicycle (unless the stationary bikes in the South Gym count). The local roads are hilly and without adequate sidewalks or biking lanes, so for the time being, my route would be limited to closed circuits like Manhattanville College, SUNY Purchase, and the PepsiCo Campus. I would love to take my bike to the City and hit up Central Park and Riverside Park on a sunny day.My concern is primarily safety, so before I can even think about fashion, I need the essentials: bike, helmet, and gloves (and maybe a bike lock and car rack).

I remember when I last visited Tarrytown, I passed by Tarrytown Cycles. As they are a specialty retailer, if I pursue cycling, I may pop over there for advice and product selection. I have a hunch that I will hesitate before entering the shop. It took several passes by WRR and lululemon athletica before I actually plucked up the courage to walk through the doors. Pro shops have a tendency of being very intimidating, so I prefer larger retailers like Sports Authority. Unfortunately, there is a trade off as my local SA lacks in the customer service satisfaction and product knowledge departments. My hope is that the staff at TC are as lovely, helpful, and down-to-Earth like the folks at WRR. Again, if I find things I like in store, I will try to hunt down a bargain online before dropping the plastic.

I picked up a discarded issue of Competitor Magazine (February 2011; New York) and some local race information on my way out of the store. After pouring over the pages (and pulling up homepages) for several hours, I have pulled together a list of races I would love to attempt. Plus, I got the 2011 Westchester Track Club's Race Calendar for the metropolitan New York Region (NY, NJ, PA, & CT). So many things to read over!

[12] A Spring in My Step

While shopping with my high school gal pal today, I picked up another item from my wish list: Nike Fit XT Quick+.  From the time of their release earlier in the year, I have wanted these shoes in the original release model: Black-Anthracite-White-Varsity Purple. I am certain my local Nike retailers in New York will be disappointed that I dropped the cash in south Florida, and not in their shops where I would frequently visit my dream trainers. 

Getting ready to engage in a cross-training bonanza!

My friend who is an athletic trainer stressed the importance of matching shoes appropriately to the sports or training I engage myself in. I suffered from a mild case of shin splints last fall when I used my tennis sneakers to play volleyball. This resulted in an eye awaking (and slightly painful) learning experience. After that, I have no qualms about investing in proper shoes for each sport. Some may feel that this is carte blanche to go shopping, but as an athlete dabbling in new sports and learning to properly train, I find it to be a necessary and worthwhile investment in my physical (and financial) health. I would much rather drop some money on correct shoes than having to visit a doctor or specialist in the future.

Despite being a stability shoe for weight training, cardio, and drills, the shoe is surprisingly light. The diamond cut out sole, like it's running counterpart (the Nike+ Free Run) is taking some getting used to, but I do like additional cushioning, especially in the heel. The lightweight material will help them air out and keep them cleaner longer. I'll be testing their utility later this week. For now, I am breaking them in so as to be prepared for employment with the revamped Nike Training Club App. Might as well unveil my training mantra for the cross-training portion of Operation Foxiness Maximus.  

NikeWomen's Training Mantra: 

Make Yourself SUBLIME

Nike Training Club App Update
Despite being very cute, the former incarnation of the NikeWomen's Training Club application for iPhone kept glitching out on me. This resulted in minimal use of the application. I did like the option of training for particular sports: tennis, running, or soccer as well as the ability to take their yoga poses along. However, they have upped the ante and its a hard core training program, stripped of the cuteness and armed to the nines with fitness goals, workout levels, and much like the Nike+ Running system, a format for saving workouts, tracking progress, and unlocking goals and and rewards (like exclusive athlete workouts). Currently, to celebrate the new release of NTC, they are offering up the chance for three people to win a personal training session. The only stipulation: logging 1,000 hours between now and April 2011. I wonder what 1,000 hours of NTC would do for me! Better get to work on that...

Oh, the geek within rejoices. Like I need more reasons to become obsessed with working and geeking out!