Not necessarily enough things to warrant a blog post, but I've got the time.
So, The MDRA somehow worked it out to get the Metrodome open in the evenings for people to run on its 640m to the lap upper concourse. Since I don't have any connections here and can't get on an indoor track, I figured this is my next best bet.
I live about a mile and a half from the dome (which you can see from everywhere, it's like a huge pillow in the landscape) So I ran over there Tuesday night to see what was the deal.
I decided to do a 6x1280m (2 laps) workout. The concourse was divided in two parts to allow faster runners an alley. Unfortunately the faster runners have to run on the inside, making the turns tighter. There really isn't any way to avoid this, since the entrances are from the outside and people would have to be darting out in front of me to get to their alley. Beggars can't be choosers. I got started and was way under my intended pace. In fact, I stayed under that pace quite a bit the whole way. I was really encouraged to still be in ok shape. This gives me a lot more confidence going to USAXC.
In other news, I joined PowerBar Team Elite, which is pretty awesome. Now all the money I blow on PowerBars I can save to blow on something stupid. This is a good deal especially because PowerBar makes tons of different stuff. Should be sweet.
Also, I've been logging all my miles in my new Karhu shoes, and have done enough to give an accurate analysis of three models
Flow - my favorite shoe by Karhu. It's super light for a trainer and very responsive. I don't understand how their patented "fulcrum" technology works, but I like it.
Fast - A lightweight neutral trainer. It's a little stiffer than the Flow and a little more like a a normal shoe. The heel seems cut back a little to try to get you from heel-striking, which is probably good. I like the hardness of the fulcrum and midsole, but some might not. You might want to try the Forward.
Racer - I love these flats. They are similar to the Flow but lighter. I wore them for my Metrodome workout and they offered a good responsive feel with enough cushion and low-to-the-groundedness to keep me safe on the tight turns on the concrete of the concourse.
So there are some plugs. I don't normally like trying to sell stuff on my blog, but I can salvage some integrity by promising that I use all of this stuff and like it. Karhu is a pretty small company in the U.S. so I feel good about promoting them in this word-of-mouth kind of way. They make good stuff, dammit. PowerBar makes a lot of good stuff and they invest in athletes. Even though they are a big company, they do a lot to support athletes like me. They deserve praise for that especially.
