Weekend Review: I Wanna Rock!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Hi! Did you have a good weekend? Run a marathon or half? I know that Green Bay and Fargo were both this weekend, and apparently both were a little steamy.

I hope that if you participated in either, that it wasn't too hot to enjoy the experience. The heat can be brutal for 26.2 miles...trust me, I know from experience!

It's a gloomy, rainy Sunday night here in Minneapolis, which means I'm hanging out on the screened-in porch with Matilda and a glass of wine, ready to share a little weekend recap with you!

With the marathon only two weeks away, it's taper time here in our household. We woke up on Saturday morning to quite a spring thunderstorm, but we headed to the Calhoun Beach Running Club nonetheless for a 15 miler. Our longest run (22 miles) was last weekend. Next weekend, the long run will only be 10 miles, before the 26.2 miles on June 1st. I gave some tips HERE for running in the rain, and Saturday was definitely an opportunity to put those tips to use.

Fortunately, the weather cleared up in time for a quick stop at Art-a-Whirl in Northeast Minneapolis. Art-a-Whirl is a the "largest open studio tour" in the country. Along with all the artwork, the whole neighborhood gets involved in the festivities. Restaurants have specials. Food trucks are in the area. Breweries have bands and tents, and it's a good time for all!

We were crunched for time, so we only had time for a quick stop at the Indeed Brewing Company for a beer and a listen to some live music, before checking out a few buildings that were part of the art festival.

I did pick up a fun t-shirt that has a screenprint of the chain of lakes in Minneapolis. 

(Forgive the 80's feathered bangs. It was windy.)

And I also purchased a colorful painting of a dog that maybe, just maybe, might be Matilda!

Then, we were back home to get ready to meet some friends at Rosa Mexicano downtown for dinner before heading to the Orpheum to see "Rock of Ages."  Rock of Ages was cheesy of course, but it was  entertaining and fun. You couldn't help but sing along with the 80's covers!

I wore THIS polka dot dress from TopShop (now only $50- what a steal!), with a J.Crew flower bib necklace (...was it really JCrew, Jess?)  The polka dot dress was a little on the short side...but you're only young once! Oh wait...I'm not actually young anymore.

Well, that's my weekend in a nutshell. I know that LL was at a fun wedding in Omaha, and I look forward to seeing her pictures from that night!

Failed Fit: Running in the Rain

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Just as Sven Sundgaard predicted, our long run this morning was plagued by lots of rain. Though the rain did finally let up after 12 miles (out of 17 total), we were all quite soaked by the end.

So how does one survive a rainy run? I have a few tidbits of advice. Please share any others that you have!

1. First, invest in a nice waterproof or water resistant running jacket. I have the Brooks LSD Lite III. This jacket was built to withstand the elements, as long as those elements are between 40 and 65 degrees. 

Today's temperature was in the mid-40's, 

so I layered the LSD Lite jacket over a tank top and a long sleeve dri-fit Nike shirt.

Just as advertised (above) the jacket does a good job of deflecting the rain.

2. Second, wear a brimmed hat. It helps keep the rain out of your eyes.

...and/or a hood? that works too.

3.  As for your electronics, put them in a plastic bag, or consider not bringing them at all. My garmin is pretty water resistant (I think even waterproof?), but if it's really coming down, I'll be sure to wear it under a long sleeve. I usually leave the iPod at home on the really wet days.

4. Lube up! When you're wet, there's a lot more chafing, so bust out the Body Glide. 

5. Bring dry clothes to change into post-run! You'll get the chills quickly, so it helps to have your Uggs and comfy sweatpants ready to throw on post-run.

6. And be sure to stuff your wet shoes with newspaper to help them dry out faster.

And for those of you who may have thought that my husband and I had matching outfits on today....

Duster's jacket for today's run

Yes, his rainy running jacket is also blue, but rather than Brooks brand, it's the Salomon Fast Wing Hoodie, which offers "very light wind protection that packs small but retains a soft, comfortable feel and full features. Hooded, single pocket, vents at pits and thumb loops make this hoody great for running at altitude where temperatures and wind can change quickly." He bought it last year at the TC Running Company. He said it kept him pretty dry, though it definitely trapped in the heat, and he got a little warm with temperatures in the 40s.

7. And my final bit of advice? Just embrace it! Jump in the puddles, have fun, and when you're done with your run, you can feel proud of how tough you are!

Fits Do Race Reviews: Lake Minnetonka 1/2 Marathon

By Jessie

The Lake Minnetonka 1/2 Marathon was held on Sunday, May 6, rain or shine (that last bit turned out to be pretty important!)

Packet pickup was held on Saturday, May 5 from 9 am- 6 pm at the Optum Health Performance center in Eden Prairie.

There was plenty of parking at packet pickup, but not much to see at the expo. We grabbed our bags and headed out.

Check out these cute light blue dri-fit shirts for participants!

The above pictures were taken during the only dry part of Saturday. The rest of the afternoon and evening were stormy and pouring rain.

And by Sunday morning when our alarm went off, the storms were still going crazy outside. Neither one of us wanted to drive out to Wayzata to stand in the rain, only to end up with a delay or cancellation! We checked the race website, which stated that "due to weather conditions, the status of the half marathon is pending." Pending???

Well, that isn't very helpful!
We stayed in bed for a few more minutes before we decided we had to get that long run in either way. The treadmill didn't sound very fun so we decided to toughen up and get up! We stumbled out of bed and started to get ready for the race. Thankfully, the rain did let up, and we headed out the door by 6:30 am.

There was ample parking in Wayzata, where the race started. Luckily our friend had dropped her car off at the finish in Excelsior, so we had a ride home afterwards. I know that last year there were a lot of complaints about the post-race shuttles, but we didn't have to deal with those.

The gear drop-off was just a small van on a side road...but the start line was organized, and everything started on time.

I didn't have my camera on the course due to the rain, but it really was quite pretty. It followed rolling hills along Lake Minnetonka, and then went through residential areas past beautiful homes, which made the miles pass by quickly.

Unfortunately, for me, the miles didn't pass quickly enough! My legs just weren't feeling very strong. I'm not sure if it was all the Pure Barre classes I had been doing (nearly every day) for the past two weeks, or just where we are in our marathon training, (i.e. a 20 miler last Saturday) but my finish time definitely displayed my weak legs. I was hoping for a time about five minutes faster. Five minutes in a half marathon is not an insignificant amount of time! (i.e it's not just a few slow water stops!)

So I was disappointed with my personal performance, but fortunately the D-man had a very strong race, and many of my run club friends also set PR's (Congrats runners!)

My friend Angela also ran the race, and she told me she was just behind me...I didn't realize just HOW close. She's the one in the blue!

I still enjoyed the race, and will probably do it again next year.  I give it a 7.5/10!

Pros:

Easy packet pickup

Plenty of parking

SWAG: nice medals and technical tees

Lovely post race party at a city park

Good pacers

Solid crowd support

Cons:

Potentially the shuttles, though I can't speak from experience

Several parts of the course are on the shoulder of country highways that are still open for traffic- not my favorite

Hills- be prepared (though not as tough as Goldy's Run)

Some congested parts to the course

Potential rain delays- I think the website could have added more information

Website: http://www.lakeminnetonkahalfmarathon.com/

Failed Fit: Running in the Rain

By Jessie

It's raining out there, Minneapolis! It's wet, it's muddy, and it's probably not your favorite time to run.

But don't fret! Just because it's raining, doesn't mean you should skip your run. My husband and I ran the Twin Cities Marathon in 2008, when it was pouring rain the entire time. And afterwards, we both remarked on what an adventure it was. We still had good experiences.

Rain does not mean "no run!" In fact, Runner's World Magazine just listed "3 Ways to Love Runs in the Rain!" (This is completely sourced from Runner's World, I take no credit!)

1. SUIT UP- A hat with a brim is crucial for keeping water out of your eyes. A water proof jacket will keep your torso dry and free of chafing. Coat your feet with petroleum jelly to prevent blisters. Wear old shoes; the cushioning in soaked ones never fully recovers.

2. MAKE A SPLASH- Save serious runs for nicer days. Running fast on slick roads or muddy trails could lead to falls, and long, wet outings to hypothermia. Instead, embrace the rain with a short, easy run, making a point to jump in big puddles.

3. DRY OFF-  Get out of wet clothes and into a warm shower as soon as possible. Stuff shoes with newspaper to help them dry out quickly. Don't put them in the dryer; it damages the infrastructure.