Jon's Jibber-jabber

It is Thanksgiving weekend and that means one thing: the annual running of the Space Coast Marathon in Cocoa, FL.  This was my sixth running of this race (the 46th annual edition of the long-running event).  It is also the last year of the "Big Bang Series", a five-year journey of medals that paid tribute to the Space Shuttles.  Run the race for five years, and you get bonus medals and gear.  I started the series so it made sense to see it out to conclusion.  It is a race that is notoriously hot and humid.  The road surface is also cambered to the point of ridiculousness at certain place.  Yet, year after year I return to this place. Race Week If you look at last year's report, you will almost see a carbon copy of what I am going to say.  Race week started with a head cold that made life miserable for most of the middle of the week.  It started on Wednesday with that pre-cold feeling.  Thanksgiving day, it turned into full cold, which lasted through Friday (my birthda

Inspired by DC Rainmaker (who I am not), I decided to put together a list of gear I use.  I find it helpful to share what I use to mainly be able to look back year to year as I accumulate new gear and find new things.   This is my list as of mid 2017.  The new year may bring new toys and gadgets but it also may not.  I hope to be able to update these every year as my gear changes. Swim Wetsuit: Zoot Z-Force 2.0 - I have both a sleeveless and full-sleeved version of the Z-Force.  I affectionately call these my Zoot Suits. Pool Goggles: Michael Phelps Aquasphere/Orca Profile- These are a new addition from last Christmas.  I use the Michael Phelps mostly for pool swimming.  They are a bit awkward around my eyes but they have very nice lenses that really do not fog up. Open Water Goggles:  I use simple single-strap non-adjustable Orca Profile goggles that I acquired in bulk for under $3 a pair on a lightning deal.  And three years later they still work.  I have four or so pair.  I

Over the weekend before Halloween, my wife and I ran a local race called the Great West Chase 5k.  They also have a 10k option, but that is a little more than I wanted to run.  We live in the area of Tampa called "Westchase" and can walk to the start line, so this was a great truly local race.  I did not realize that the race had nearly 1300 participants between the 5k and 10k.  In reality, this is a good mid-sized race.  It was a spur of the moment race decision, with approval from my coach, of course. The 5k course is a straight out-and-back, remaining mostly on Linebaugh Avenue.  The course has one lane in each direction closed to traffic.  While there are cars, the police have it completely managed.  It is a USATF and RRCA certified course.  This is quite helpful as many local 5ks are not certified and end up either being short or long. It was a good race to check development. I asked my coach whether this would fit in my plan and she approved of the 5k.  It would cer

I have been looking for a daily high-mileage shoe for a little while.  After a lot of research, I actually went out to our local running shops and tried a few. Three stops later and a lot of whining, I settled on the Saucony Ride series.  The Ride 9 is last year's model but shares most features with the newly released Ride 10. First Impressions When I first put the shoes on, they felt very similar to my Kinvaras.  This should not surprise anyone as the platform and design share a lot of similarities.  The Ride has an 8mm heel to toe drop, so not as flat as some racers (or my Kinvaras) but not overly high for a larger high-mileage shoe.  One of the notable features is the high level of cushion.  It feels plush underfoot but not overly "cloudy" like the Brooks Glycerins.  The Ride and newer Saucony shoes benefit from a layer of the new Everrun foam that is supposed to create a long-lasting cushion with little weight.  The Saucony Freedom is pretty much entirely built of

Having a two shoe quiver, I noticed I am lacking in a quick and light trainer/racer.  My Zoot Kiawe are triathlon specific so running track workouts or tempo days in them really doesn't play to the sock-less use for that shoe.  In my research, I came across this shoe and thought to give it a try.  Billed as a quick day training shoe or a racing shoe, it features light weight less cushion for speedwork. For many, it could also double as a racing flat. First Impressions These shoes are loud.  Not in sound but in color.  I purposely chose the brilliant fluorescent yellow shoes and they certainly are hi-vis.  The material feels supple and well-made.  Putting them on for the first time, I immediately felt how comfortable and roomy they were.  They have a wide toe box and none of the shoe feels constricting.  It is obvious that there is not as much sole underfoot as other shoes but that is to be expected for the stated purpose.  I would not say they are minimialist since the ramp

As I previously said, I discovered 361 Degrees at the WDW Marathon Expo in January 2017.  I spent an unusual amount of time (for me) talking to the vendor.  Typically, I do not talk to anyone at all.  Ever.  My wife knew something had sparked my interest when I spent almost 10 minutes talking to the rep.  I bought these particular shoes from Go Run Miami through the Amazon Marketplace trying to find a less expensive version to try before committing to the brand.  I noticed the 361 Degrees brand is a bit pricy at MSRP.  Past experiences with gear taught me not to rush and buy the latest $500 gizmo lest I be disappointed or, worse, disappointed and broke.  First Impressions The first thing I noticed about the shoe is that is feels cheap.  It is not to say that the shoe isn't good but initially it felt like I was holding one of the bargin bin sneakers from Walmart.  The exterior was very stiff and the padding felt rough and rigid. Perhaps it was how stiff they were that caused the

This is my retirement race.  I decided to do this after last year when a friend of mine and I did Florida together and had a blast.   We wanted to do our annual race together.   Lauren is always a step ahead of me and I've never beat her in a race.   But we have fun racing together.   We picked Chattanooga because of timing and because of the word of mouth reviews.  For me, this would be near the end of the season (before summer surface-of-the-sun heat arrives).  For Lauren, this is an early season race (Massachusetts is so far north).  It's kind of a middle point, albeit closer to me in the South.  During training for the race, I decided this would be it for long course. Hence, this is my retirement. I just don't have the mental strength to train for long course events.  I enjoy shorter distances much better.  I struggled with the Be Iron Fit training programs this cycle, especially during peak phase when the runs were long and the rides were even longer.  Pep-talking my

Anyone that knows me will say that I am a brand loyal person.  When I find something that I like, it takes a lot to move me from that brand.  Sometimes, I weigh brand over function, especially when it comes to tech gear.  Stubborn is also a descriptor I've heard once or twice.  I am quite predictable when it comes to my routine. I have been running in Saucony shoes since 2009 when I started running.  More specifically, I have run my races almost exclusively in the Saucony Kinvaras since the first edition of the shoe.  Now on the Kinvara 7, it has been my training partner for nearly eight years.  In fact, the Kinvara and I have been together longer than I have been married.  It is a shoe that fit me well and got the job done. My recent plateau in performance and my continued chronic soreness have made me start to rethink maintaining the status quo.  I have seen the rise of minimalism.  I have seen the fall of minimalism.  Now is the dawning of the age of maximalism and those awf

This review is from February 2016. The Book of Mormon (BOM) is a hugely popular show, specifically with the younger demographic.  The show won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Musical along with a host of other awards.   BOM was created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone (the creators of South Park) along with Robert Lopez (Avenue Q and later Disney's Frozen).  Needless to say, given the show runners, this would not be a reverent or traditional production.  The touring production was in town for a week and we have said for a while we wanted to see this show.  So it made a nice 5 year anniversary present to ourselves.   And now, a little about the show. BOM blends the musical stylings of Broadway productions with the irreverent satire that comes from shows in the vein of South Park. The show follows a pair of Mormon elders (missionaries) as they graduate from the missionary training center and are sent to their first mission.  Elder Price is the upstanding model Mormon.  Elder

Inspired by DC Rainmaker (which I am not), I decided to put together a list of gear I use.  I find it helpful to share what I use to mainly be able to look back year to year as I accumulate new gear and find new things.   This is my list as of the end of 2016.  The new year may bring new toys and gadgets but it also may not. Swim Wetsuit: Zoot Z-Force 2.0 - I have both a sleeveless and full-sleeved version of the Z-Force.  I affectionately call these my Zoot Suits. Goggles: Michael Phelps Aquasphere/Orca Profile- These are a new addition from Christmas.  Previously, I used simple single-strap non-adjustable Orca Profile goggles that I acquired in bulk for under $3 a pair on a lightning deal.  And three years later they still work.  I have four or so pair.  Swim Cap: Whatever free race cap I pull out of the drawer. Open Water Watch: Timex Global Trainer - This one is an oldie but goodie.  The Global Trainer is pretty old technology by industry standards but as of now it is the

This was my third WDW Marathon.  I decided to sign up for it on a whim since we are now locals and there were still spots available a month ago.  It was supposed to be a redemption race for the poor performance at Space Coast.  After my sickness at Space Coast, I had a full month plus one week to recover and get back together.   I did not ramp training back up but used a transitional plan to bridge the gap.  It wasn't particularly heavy on volume but the main goal was no injury.  WDW Marathon was also to have fun.  I would be running with two friends and we anticipated pictures an overall good time. Race Week I didn't get Friday and Monday off of work so this wasn't a vacation weekend.  My wife arrived earlier in the week with other friends as they were doing all of the Disney races.  I arrived Friday evening after work and departed early Monday to make it back to work.  Orlando is just 60 miles to the north so I am able to make the drive in a hour without traffic.  Fr