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Showing posts from 2011

Inaugural South Florida Fair 5K: A Good Ending to 2011 and Welcome 2012!!

As all of you know, I've been struggling with my races since I was diagnosed with the asthma and given medication plus a rescue inhaler.  My times have gone slower and slower and I have not been able to perform as I had in the Summer. So, when I saw this race in between the WPB Marathon and the Disney Goofy Challenge, I knew it was the perfect time to do some quality racing and give it my all.  My intention was not to PR but rather to see how fast could I go with the asthma and how my performance will be affected by it. I had run three 5Ks since being diagnosed with asthma, two of them in the 80s and 90% humidity and this one.  My times prior to today were: 27:16 and 27:36, respectively, both in September, two weeks after being diagnosed with the asthma and without the right medication for me.  PR pre asthma was 24:57 (Garmin). I have to say I think this was a success, in part.  I, however, did a lot of things wrong. What I Did Wrong : Started Out Too Fast - Aft

Shoe Review: Why the Asics GT 2170 Is A Better Shoe Than the GT 2160

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I reviewed the Asics GT 2160 in a previous blog post.  Here is the review of the newer version, the Asics GT 2160. This shoe is everything the GT 2150 and GT 2160 are not.  It's sleek, it's lighter, it's cool, it comes in awesome colors.  It feels like it's a shoe you can either run long or fast. The shoe is 9.9 oz in weight but it really feels almost like a racer shoe.  It feels light overall.  I've used it on two runs, both recovery runs.  However, the shoe feels like you can run fast (I actually did some sprints with it).  It feels like it could be your long run shoe while also perfect for 5K or 10K races.  It has enough support to use during a marathon and, in fact, I am thinking of using it for one of my next few marathons and see how it feels.  Maybe it is perfect enough for my first ultra. From all the shoes I'm currently trying, this is one of my favorite ones.

Shoe Review: Asics GT2160

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As I venture into the unknown by changing from the Adidas Supernova to anything that works (basically), I am going to try to review the shoes so that any interested party can compare them.  My first review is of the Asics GT 2160. My opinion of the Asics GT 2150 has been well known.  I hate them...with a passion...my feet do not like them.  So, with much trepidation, I bough a pair of GT 2160s to try out, but feared that my review of them would be the same as the GT 2150. More or less. From the 8 pairs of shoes I am currently trying, the GT 2160 are the ones I like the least.  There is no reason for it.  I don't even know why I don't love these.  The feet just never feel comfortable with them.  They are a little heavy (10.2 oz) but other than that, there should not be a reason for me not to like them.  The shoes have nothing wrong with them; however, there is nothing wow about them either.  It's a good training shoe for normal runs but there is nothing that would mak

Saying Goodbye to Your Soulmate

For four years, I have been in love with my soulmate.  We've gone through a lot: 5Ks, 10Ks, HMs, marathons, and asthma.  But today, I had to make the toughest choice I've had to make in years.  I have to say goodbye....TO MY ADIDAS SUPERNOVA SEQUENCES. Ha, you thought I was leaving my husband, didn't you? Since I started taking running seriously 4 years ago, I went to the running store and got fitted with the Adidas Supernova Sequence shoes.  They felt like I was running on a cloud.  They got me through thick and thin.  All my first races were in Supernovas.  My weight loss happened while running Supernovas.  My best PRs (except my recent marathon PR) happened with the Supernovas. I tried other shoes, I did.  But while they felt OK, nothing compared with the Supernovas But something happened when I lost weight.  Or maybe my stride got better, or I am a more efficient runner, or whatnot.  The Supernova Sequence 2 and 3 felt awesome 5 months ago and now feel bulky and

Down2Earth Trail Half Marathon Race Report

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Yesterday, I ran the Down2Earth Trail Half Marathon in North Miami, Florida.  This trail race is held several times a year and I had signed up for this race in June, but had to DNF when I twisted my ankle 7 times and fell during the first loop (the first 5K). So, I was out to reinvindicate myself and finish this mother.  So, I found a time where I had sufficient time to recover without it affecting a race (I spent 4 days without running last time and I was so sore I thought I was injured).  Yesterday was the perfect day. Trail  - This trail is pretty technical and tough.  There were no photographers this time around so you will have to do with my old picture from the other trail race: What I Changed From Last Time Shoes - Last time I used the Brooks Cascadia and, since I twisted my ankles so many times, and I thought they did not provide sufficient support, I wanted to change them.  I ended up buying the Adidas Supernova Riot. Training Runs - Last time I did a co

RnR Dodge Latin Music Miami Beach Half Marathon RR

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FE:  On Friday we went out to party and party we did.  We first went to the see the TransSiberian Orchestra's Christmas Concert, followed by dinner in South Beach, and party at Mango's.  Here are some of the pictures from said partying. Here are the Goddesses individually: @ Dinner.  There are no words.  Just remember, I am not sharing all the pictures that exist, here with you.  There are more, some more embarrassing than others. Race Day: We all got to meet Dana (zircardia) although I was the last one: Not sure if you have not noticed, but apart from being model-gorgeous, Dana is tall: And off we go! Here is Dana and me goofing off as we wait for somebody to go to the potty: After that picture, we saw some nice signs around the course, with this one catching the most attention: Let me tell you that Rich was a sensation.  He never runs at the back of the back, and these ladies back there?  OMG, they

Palm Beaches Marathon 2011 Race Report

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There is no short version! Long: Pre-Race; This weekend and the next there's going to be a big FE with a lot of our forumites.  rpflash and bingo_jenn came over to WPB this weekend to do the half and full, respectively.  I will let them tell their own tales, as each one have an interesting story to tell.  But, here are some of the FE pics from yesterday at the Cheesecake Factory: Be jealous, ladies, be very jealous.  The first thing I saw as I was going into the finishing chute was Rich, shirtless! Revenge is at Hand: Today, I ran the Palm Beaches Marathon.  This was my first marathon ever and last year, I walked the last 10 miles due to what I thought was a cold or some sort of flu.  Reading the RR from that race, sounds eerily familiar.  Here are some excerpts from it: Mile 1 - Halfway through Mile 1 I noticed I was winded.  I'm not even running fast, I'm doing somewhere close to easy pace and I'm winded.  That's when I could te

Miami Turkey Trot 10K (2011)

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  Today I ran the Miami Turkey Trot 10K, a feast of 4600 people all standing in the wrong corral. This is the third time I've done this event and it has always been a very tough race because it's usually the only weekend in November where temperatures are close to 80F. Not this weekend. Today it was 71-75F during the race. I did not check the humidity but I know it was high because my sunglasses were foggy all through the race. So, the weather was better than last year, which was 77F. I was not going to shoot for a PR because I know I have not been able to run my normal paces since the asthma diagnosis. However, I wanted to run all out to see what I can do with the asthma. I was not disappointed in finding out I am stronger than I thought. Update on Asthma: I went to the doctor on Monday and they redid the breathing test (this is my 6th test). I was at 80-81% after NYCM, with the small bronchi at 62%. Bad, bad, bad. So, with less than two weeks with the new medication

13.1 Ft. Lauderdale RR (2011)

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Short:  I ran my third 13.1 Ft. Lauderdale (10th completed half marathon).  Did not PR but ran strong.  Final time: 2:14:58, which is a PR post asthma, but not even close to what I could have accomplished before the Summer. Long: On Sunday, I ran the 2011's 13.1 Ft. Lauderdale race.  This has always been my favorite HM of all times, mainly because it was my first HM in 2009 and because it's always my PR race of the year.  However, since being diagnosed with asthma, I have struggled to come to terms with the fact that my PRs may be gone for good (or at least for a while).  I also finished the NYCM last week and, although recovery is going very well, I approached this race with trepidation. I have been debating between attempting a PR or not for this race.  I knew it would be hard, first because my lungs are still stuck at 80% breathing capacity, and because I had an unplanned marathon I just finished.  After NYCM, the doctor changed my inhaler but it was two days before the

Damaris' NYCM (FE and Race Report)

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Summary: On Sunday, I finished my 4th Marathon, the NYCM, the first of my season.  It was a great experience and I had tons of fun, I met tons of forumites, and I experienced how my marathon season may go if I don't get my asthma in check.  Even with that, I finished in 4:59:22, not a PR, but with a lot of insight as to how my lungs work. Novel: Chapter 1: The Training This was not a marathon I was planning or wanting to run, but my friend wanted me to enter the lottery and run with her (pacing her on her first) so I entered never believing I would get in.  So, of course I got in.  I had already planned to choose a high mileage intense training for the West Palm Beach Marathon (December 4), so all I needed to do was to organize my training so that I was already trained by the time I would get to NYCM and with enough time to recover until WPB. Since I was already doing 50mpw easily, and already averaging 40mpw in 2011, in June I made the decision to use Pfitz 18/7

Miami Beach Halloween Half Marathon

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Chiqui and I ran the Miami Beach Halloween Half Marathon on October 29.  This is the third year of this race and, if you remember, this is the race that I DNF'd last year due to the flu.  So,I invited Chiqui to do this race while they were running (aka struggling) through the 13.1 Miami Beach, where Chiqui informed me that she would NEVER sign up for that HM (or any other) ever again.  Then, Chiqui proceeded to sign up for this race and other Half Marathons as well, LOL. I had been debating about what to wear, including what costume could I use.  Then, Chiqui told me she had purchased a devil costume and me and my big head thought: hey, I can dress as an angel and go as her nemesis! So, off I went to try to find something runable and light, since it is still 80+ degrees here.  Both decided to treat it as a LR or training run, me because it was one week before the NYCM, and Chiqui, because she's training for her goal HM race which comes later this month. The weath