Training Tuesdays: 07.12.11.

On Sunday, we only did a 10-mile run. Lord help me that I am already at the point in my training schedule that I can use the word "only" and the phrase "10-mile run" in the same sentence (unless the sentence is: "I can't believe I only ate three pints of Ben & Jerry's after my 10-mile run." In that case, Lord help me for other reasons. My abdominal girth and cholesterol, for example.).

Aside from actually taking down a pint of Phish Food, two other exiting things happened this past week. 

1. I logged my 200th training mile. Can you believe it? Since May 7th, I have run more than 216 miles.

2. Since I still have so many miles left to run, I invested in my second pair of running shoes of the season. The new model of my shoe, the Brooks Defyance, is quite different from the previous model that I had been running in. They seem more cushioned and have a more noticeable arch support. I have put 23 miles on the new pair over my last three runs, and so far I like them just fine. Here are the things that are currently (and hopefully continually) keeping my feet happy during all this pounding:

The current model of the shoe I wear is the Brooks Defyance 4, and the only socks I even consider wearing for runs of any distance, no matter the season, the temperature, or the terrain, are Smartwool PhD Ultra Light Micro Socks. I lurve them. And to make extra sure I keep the blisters away, I have started putting BodyGlide on my toes. I also use it on other places that are bound to chafe, like along the seams of my sports bra and shirt, but that's a talk for another time. 

Anyway, this is a cut-back week. And 10 miles felt great - easy, even. I know my long runs are not always going to be easy, especially as we ramp up in the next few weeks - 14, 16, and 17-milers before our next recovery run the first week in August.

For this week, I am looking forward to taking it a little easier than usual. This is my running schedule for the rest of the week: