Pick It Up and Put It Down...

Last post, I hinted that my training was changing course for a bit. I think strength training is extremely important to athletes. I still don't want to go completely to CrossFit with my husband, but I like to use many of the same moves. I don't mind kettlebell swings, hate burpees (like everyone), enjoy box jumps, deadlifts, hang cleans, etc. My training plan for the Monumental Marathon officially kicks off on June 15, and it starts light, so I gave my husband 6 weeks of free control, as long as I can still run a minimum of 3 miles, 3 times per week.

So. He has me doing a Wendler Cycle. We're doing deadlifts, squats, bench presses, and shoulder presses. Step 1 was to test my one-rep max so we could map out the rest of the cycle.

Lifting around my husband involves an embarrassingly high level of grumbling and pouting. He critiques my form and I get crabby. He pushes me too hard and I basically throw a 29-year-old tantrum. Yeah... it's fun.  But, God bless him, he doesn't give up on me. I guess it's nothing worse than 19-year-old Privates in the Army threw at him.

My 1-rep max as of May 7:
Squat: 80
Bench Press: 75
Deadlift: 125
Shoulder Press: 55

I was bummed because my deadlift is down 10 pounds from last summer, but hey... I barely lifted since last summer. We have a great garage gym setup with squat rack, bench, bar, box, etc. all from Rogue Fitness. Can't recommend them enough. High quality gear and made in the USA! Dear Husband has never let me off easy... "my" kettlebell is 35 pounds, our bar is 45, and the lightest dumbbells we have are 20. I'm a firm believe that women should lift heavy. Your purse weighs more than your 5 pound dumbbell, so how on earth will that get you fit??

So...  for the next 4 weeks, I'll be lifting 4 days per week. And running 3 days per week. I'll double-up on Thursdays, so my new training schedule...

Monday: Squat
Tuesday: Run 3-4 miles
Wednesday: Bench Press
Thursday: Run 3-4 miles, Deadlift
Friday: Shoulder Press
Saturday: Run 3-6 miles
Sunday: Rest

Coach Husband swears to me I'll see advances in my 1-rep max and in my running. And I definitely won't stop lifting during marathon training. Strong legs are a big help when your mind is ready to give up.

So now I will pick some things up, and then put them down. And then do it again and again.


Do you weight lift while running? How do you cross train? 

500 Festival Mini Marathon, Take 2...

Well, adrenal fatigue or not, I had registered months ago for the 500 Festival Mini Marathon! This would be my second year running, and another chance to run alongside my running buddy. Since we usually have to be supportive from afar, and because this race is just plain FUN, I wasn't going to back out.

I entered the weekend with no expectations. After all, I'd run my marathon 3 weeks ago, I am currently dealing with adrenal fatigue, and I'd basically only run 5Ks since the marathon.

We hopped in the car for a 5 hour jaunt South to Indianapolis. After a stop at Eric's house to unload the car, and introduce our 60 pound dog to his two 12 pound dogs (ours was terrified of his, go figure), we headed to the Expo.

Indy gets the Expo right. It is BIG, there are lots of shopping options, some fun samples, and it all flows smoothly. Walk up, get bib, take fun photo, convince friend to run full marathon...

Oh, yeah. I made sure to walk Eric right up to the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon booth and have a little chat with their representatives.   I've already registered for the November 1 marathon, and am trying to fundraise for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research again. I'd really appreciate your support! Eric has been talking for a while about wanting to do a marathon, so I figured a hometown race we could run together, that has received GREAT reviews, would be a great opportunity. And I convinced him.   I also convinced him to buy some calf compression sleeves from CEP finally. But that's just because I am wise and all-knowing...

Obligatory Expo photo...

Race morning dawned bright-ish, and not so early...  They tested a wave start at the Mini Marathon this year, and our Wave wouldn't step off until 8:15. Add to that the fact that Eric lives very close and has guaranteed downtown parking, and we "slept in" until about 6!  We needed a brief stop at CVS, because I forgot deodorant, but compared to forgetting my shorts AND sports bra last year, I still came out ahead!

The wave start was a great idea for a race so packed (usually 35,000 runners). There seemed to be much less of a crowd outside the corrals, the lines for the port-a-pottys were shorter, etc.  I did jump out of our corral for a last second pee. Security threatened to make me go way back to the back, but thankfully, other runners weren't going for that and popped the fence open.

The day started chilly, but by the time we took off, the clouds were gone, and it was warming up fast with all the sun. A LOT of people are either inexperienced or just silly because they were wearing tights, jackets, etc. I saw a girl pull her fleece top off exactly one minute after we crossed the start. I can't imagine carrying that for 13.1 miles.  I had stuck with my marathon outfit... shorts, Team Fox singlet, and arm warmers, which worked very well as the sun continued to rule the day. 

The wave start worked very well. There was the usual jostling at the front. Somehow, it never dawns on people to move back a few (or several) corrals if they haven't trained, and you always run into walkers almost immediately, but within a mile, we had spread out nicely. This year, I only felt crowded at a few choke points, so I hope they keep the wave. 

Eric started strong, and I had a few early moments of panic where I thought he would PR, and I would fall out! But, I think it served me well to have no expectations. When I felt a little panic at Mile 4, I reminded myself that I have a well-known mental Wall between mile 4 and 5, and if I could just get past that, it'd be easy through Mile 9. (I was totally right). 

The course is fun. After weaving through some neighborhood streets, you go through a very short boring section and then enter the town of Speedway. The first sign is always the Allison Transmission "Pit Stop". Their building is right outside Main Street in Speedway and they man a fun water stop, full of energy. Main Street is always full of people cheering and giving high-fives, and then you turn into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Entering the track is the only real hill on the entire course, but the Indiana University cheerleaders were at the top, which made things easier!

Some people hate this part of the race because it's "boring", but I actually enjoy it. There's just enough novelty to keep your mind off things, they bring high school cheer teams, and you get to dodge people at the Yard of Bricks.  This is also where I realized I was feeling very, very good, and Eric was fading. At Mile 8, I asked him if he had any fuel, since I had just taken my second (I like an every-4-mile policy) and he hadn't. Nope, he forgot to bring any!   Luckily, I'd brought an extra Island Boost, just in case I needed it.  Despite his reluctance to try it at the Martian Marathon, here, he found himself very grateful for it, and it worked! Fast fuel, no upset tummy, happy running buddy. 

You run through a couple 'rougher' neighborhoods as you get to the end. Not bad at all, and actually the crowd support is great. Almost every house had someone cheering on the porch, most louder than other neighborhoods!

As we passed Mile 10, Eric was definitely fading. The sun was hot, he admittedly hadn't trained as well as before. We were walking each water stop, and he was trying to walk earlier and longer. I found myself full of energy, and being "that girl".  At Mile 10, I yelled, "Woo-hoo!! Nothing left but a 5K!!!" and after no response, "Why aren't people smiling anymore??"  Luckily, that got a few laughs. 

I kept encouraging Eric to bring it in strong, run hard for the water, and then I'd let him walk a bit longer after. I promised him beer if he kept going, and found myself cheering, clapping, yelling, and pushing for the last 3.1 miles. There were several times he slowed to a walk and I cheering him into continuing. I surprised myself, and I couldn't be happier for it. After the last few weeks, I had honestly expected to fall out and have to walk myself, not be the one with energy leftover. 

We finished 1 minute short of a PR, which neither of us expected. The medals this year were awesome, the post-race party rocking, and the beers we had at lunch were perfect. What can I say? I love the Mini. The shirt this year is tech without being 'tech'... it doesn't look tech, and I can wear it around town. Finally!!!!   I wish every race would go back to a cotton shirt. I will never run in your race shirt. Ever. But I *would* wear it around town, doing yardwork, to sleep in, etc. The water stops are perfect. More than enough. Other races could definitely learn from Indy. And the crowd support just can't be beat. 

Only disappointment?  MarathonFoto once again has no pictures of me. Meanwhile, they have like 20 pictures of each person who walked. I know there are 35,000 of us, but c'mon man!

Another successful 500 Festival Mini Marathon in the books...

Looking forward, I don't have any more races until October, and will probably keep it that way. Marathon training begins June 15, and until then, I'm letting my husband program my workouts with a weight-lifting/strength focus. I'll be looking to PR my squat, bench press, shoulder press and deadlift, as well as run 3 times per week, with two 5Ks and a 4-6 mile "long" run to keep my running abilities up. 

Have you run the Mini? What are your summer workout plans? Any races coming up?

Race Recap: The Martian Marathon

Ok, so when I left you all, I was barely into my training for the Martian Marathon. I had decided to run a marathon after my father-in-law was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. I linked up with Team Fox, the fundraising arm of the Michael J. Fox Foundation and got to work!

My mom decided to fly in to witness my first marathon, and my friend joined me to run the half marathon.  By the afternoon of Friday, April 11, we had collected everyone, and headed to Dearborn for the Expo. I'll admit, I had low expectations. The previous two races I'd done in Michigan had very tiny, very underwhelming Expos. I got a laugh right away when we pulled into the parking lot and were greeted by many inflatable Martians. 

Maybe Eric isn't feeling confident about his race...

I was overall very impressed by the Expo. Everything ran smoothly and was easy, and there were plenty of booths with useful gear. I actually picked up a new medal hanger, and was happy that they had the 26.2 stickers available. I also bought a pint glass. I've come to the decision that every race should offer pint glasses.

Got my bib!  And made a new friend...

The next morning, I rousted us all out of bed at about 4 a.m.  The Marathon would step off at 7:15, and there was a parking lot immediately next to the start and finish lines that would close at 6:30. Supposedly this lot was only for marathoners, and I do wish someone would have checked bib numbers and controlled the lot a bit better. Parking quickly started to be outside of the lines, and I believe cars were still pulling in as we ran off. 

Quick pre-race Island Boost, wrapped in my husband's Army woobie!

The weather was perfect. The low was 44, no clouds and no wind. The start line was fairly informal, made of a banner on PVC piping, but hey, as long as the timing mats work, who cares? After the National Anthem, we were off!

The race started up a slight hill and then turned through some neighborhood streets. I quickly dropped into the thin back of the pack, which was my intent. I was hoping to conserve energy and told myself to go slow. The path took us down briefly onto Hines Drive, a long, winding road through park area. But the Marathon quickly broke off and weaved through neighborhoods. The path was well marked and well stocked with volunteers and inflatable Martians scattered around. I'm sure some people weren't thrilled with this section, but I didn't mind. It reminded me of my training runs. There were a few hills thrown in, but nothing too crazy, and one or two families came out to cheer. 

I finished the first 8 miles feeling really strong. At Mile 9, two things happened. First, the paths of all the races merged again. We were dumped back onto Hines Drive. Second, I had only run a short bit when bikes passed me, and the drivers announced they were the Half Marathon leader escorts. What??  Yup...  the leaders of the Half were 4 miles in... I was 9.5 miles in, and here came these two skinny high school kids just plain flying by me. Yikes. 

The path goes down Hines Drive and then doubles back. For a little bit, this was fun. I saw most of the half marathoners, and all the marathoners come back. The real benefit to this was that there was almost no crowd support at this race, so the double-back allowed us to cheer for each other. 

At about Mile 14, I was still feeling OK, but also feeling very warm, and very, very sweaty. I'd trained outside, which meant training in snow storms, the Polar Vortex, and -22 degree wind chills. The weather had warmed a bit, but top training temp was about 50. The high on race day was 71. Sunny, cloudless, and approaching 70 was kicking my butt!  I began chatting with another runner who was using the Galloway method. She was doing 4 minutes of running, 1 minute of walking, and I began to notice she was catching me on each run. At around Mile 15.5, I decided to join her.  Despite being in shorts and a tank top, I was HOT, I could feel the sun and the salty sweat on my face. AND, she was keeping the same pace as me with presumably less effort. 

I said hi to my new running partner, Denise, and off we went. We were on the slower side, but I didn't care, I just wanted to finish.  At around Mile 18, we picked up another girl, Erika, who had fallen out.

At about Mile 23, we got off Hines Drive and headed into a wooded path, and then the campus of U of M - Dearborn. Hines was pretty, but I couldn't have been happier to get off! It was getting very boring, and had a slight tilt that was annoying my legs. 

That last bit was miserable. I was so tired, and so ready to be done, but by the time I saw the Mile 24 sign, I knew I would finish. I had to. When we reached a half mile left, Denise wanted to walk again, but I had the adrenaline to finish. We thanked each other and spread out on different paces. 

The finish was great. You rounded a corner with about .4 miles left and could almost see the end. You could see Martians, and finally a crowd. There was a left turn ahead and just before the turn was Mile 26.  At the corner, I saw my mom and ran over to give her a giant hug. I won't lie, I almost started crying right then and there!  She tried to run alongside me toward the finish, but couldn't quite keep up in her ballet flats :)  

The finish corrals were a bit too thin for my taste. I had to duck around cones to pass some Half Marathoners who were walking, but couldn't go too far to the right because the Kids' 1 Mile was finishing. As I neared the finish line, I could see my husband, and there was a volunteer right at the finish line who told us slow pokes, "Great job!! Marathoner!!!"  I crossed the finish line in pure joy, grabbed a water, which was the only thing I could have from the finish line grub, and burst into tears. Marathoner.

Crossing the finish line!

Marathoner.

Overall, it was a very good race. It was a bit amateur, but overall well-run, and the volunteers were very friendly. The Expo was well-run and I enjoyed the Martian theme. My friend loved the course, but I don't think I'd do the Marathon again. It was just too long to be on Hines Drive and too far a distance for the out and back. Also, the course wasn't conducive to crowds, and I really missed having crowd support.  Given the heat, they could have used more water stops. They were every 2 - 2.5 miles, and one was out of cups when I got there.  I'd also like to see them change the finish. The Kid's Marathon was finishing at the same finish line at the same time, so my marathoner picture has me off to one side, with two kids and one of the kid's Dad featured more prominently. Call me a jerk, but I just ran a f*cking MARATHON and I should have a picture that's centered on me. 

All else aside, I'd recommend this race. There are some things to fix, but you won't regret running it. 

Walking toward my husband after finishing!

As for me, I ran a marathon! I finished in 5:17. Not the best time, I know, but I don't care. I did it. And with every step, I knew I was running for a bigger cause. To date, I've raised $3,802 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.  If you would like to donate, you may do so here: Team Fox  100% of your donation will go directly toward grants and research aimed at better treatments and a cure. I am proud to be a marathoner and proud of what I did to support my father-in-law. 

Another successful outing with my running buddy!

Where Did I Go???

Where have I been??  I know. I know. I'll explain.

For reasons that I'll explain shortly, I haven't posted in 3 months. I basically let you all know I was going to run a marathon and then vanished. A few days ago, I checked my stats, and I was still getting pretty reasonable hits, so I decided I'd give it a try again.

So where was I?

It all started months ago...  although if we're being honest, it started years ago. I've always had my problem weight around my mid-section, and figured my balanced approach to working out should make some type of dent. Maybe not abs, since I'm not a diet maniac, but a difference. I've chronicled this here.. I don't just run, since I know your body will eventually adapt, and when I say I weight train, I don't do it like most girls. The smallest dumbbell we own is 20 pounds, and I my husband regularly pushes me to add more weight to our 45 pound barbell.   Plus, we eat gluten-free, mostly Paleo, which is not to say my diet is better than yours, but is to say that there is mostly whole food in this house. We eat clean, not processed junk.

Cue a few months ago, the "Why haven't I lost weight??" whining started. Dear Husband would explains to me that I shouldn't want to "lose weight".  "Ok! Wrong vernacular, we don't even own a scale, but I should see a change, I should have lost some of this (grabbing own belly fat)" Dear Husband then explains how it takes time to notice a difference. "Just keep at it!"  "But I've been working out for 6 months."  "It takes time!" "But I've been working out for 7 months." At a year, Dear Husband finally wouldn't argue, but giving me a puzzled expression and saying, "Hmmm.." doesn't help either.

Ok, so, can't lose weight despite exercise and eating right. But I'm exhausted. "Go to bed earlier." No, I'm exhausted. "Well, you ARE training for a marathon." No, I'm EXHAUSTED. Had to will myself out the door to run, didn't have energy for the dog, didn't want to even think about cooking dinner, and cleaning it or doing anything after dinner? Forget it. In fact, I was worthless after 7 or 8 pm. We have a dog and two cats... we working on their bedtime routines, but they often give us several wake-ups. But, Dear Husband would get a good night's sleep and tell me how wonderful he felt. I'd get a "good" night's sleep and be well, exhausted. And that's if I got it! I couldn't fall asleep as well as when I first went gluten-free, couldn't stay asleep, and if I woke up at my regular wake-up time, I couldn't sleep in.

And my mood?  Well, it was fun. Those little stressful things were big stressful things, and I couldn't handle the stress. I'd rage to myself over what just happened. And if I wasn't raging, I was down, down down.

Cue a sudden interest in random blog posts about thyroid issues and adrenal fatigue. All the symptoms were clicking. Exhausted? That's me. Can't lose weight or gaining weight, especially around the belly? That's me. Stressed, anxious, moody? That's me! Feeling depressed? Me.  Irregular periods? Me! (On the pill, it was coming 5-7 days early. And I've ALWAYS been regular.)

I went to the doctor, who first spent a solid 20 minutes trying to convince me that nothing was wrong with my thyroid, all these little issues were just other things. I'd lose weight if I didn't snack after dinner and didn't have fruit after 4 pm, and besides, I shouldn't worry about weight anyway. AND! Training for a marathon was a perfect way to maintain my weight. I should take something for sleep and then I wouldn't be tired. And she could prescribe something for being depressed.    

I almost stormed out, but convinced her to at least do bloodwork and discuss things after that.  Upon my return, she started the same, doubtful path, but kept looking at my bloodwork. Gee... nothing's wrong. At all. So why am I like this? Suddenly, I become a puzzle to her. She asks lots of random questions. Finally, I say, "Well, could it be adrenal fatigue?"   With a funny smile, she admits that, as a traditional internist, she's not really supposed to diagnose that, but it's exactly what she was thinking.

Normally, she'd need to send me to a functional medicine or holistic doctor. To her credit, she gave me some natural ideas, rather than the costs associated with a whole different doc. I'm taking Vitamin D supplements (along with my fish oil and B-complex) because it was the one thing low in my bloodwork. She suggested an adrenal supplement called Adrenogen from Metagenics.  I know several people from the Paleo world suggest the GAIA Herbs Adrenal Support, but for now, I'm going to follow my doc. We've gone very strict Paleo, though, it's summer... I'm still going have a few drinks!  And, where some people say to cut out exercise, I'm trying not to. I've got more races already paid for, and I enjoy working out. I am going to try to add meditation to my day. I've added holy basil/licorice root tea to my daily routine, and am consciously adding more healthy fats, which I've probably lacked for a while.

I can only guess that my life over the last 4 years had a big part in this... (DH deployment #2, move apartments, lose job, plan wedding, DH comes home, wedding moved at last moment due to Hurricane, Honeymoon canceled due to training, Training, move to Michigan, find (miserable) temp job, find good job, lose good job, hunt for job, find job, daily life). I've always thought I handle stress well, but I'm also a *feeler*. I feel the mood of the room, the mood of another person, and I mean I feel it internally. If you're stressed, I am. If you're upset, I feel it, and I'm unsettled at my core. My husband had even previously suggested stress as a reason I wasn't losing weight, but stress does so much more than that.

I'm hopeful I can get this sorted out and feel like me again. I'm hopeful, not going to lie, that I can tone up and shed some of this body fat before September because we finally booked our Honeymoon!!!  I need to keep working out for me. I think there are probably plenty of you out there just like me, so I'm going to try to be back and keep you all posted on running, eating right, and dealing with Adrenal Fatigue.

Oh, and in case you were wondering...  I'm officially a Marathoner!!!

Are you dealing with, or have you dealt with Adrenal Fatigue? What helped you? Have you ever tried meditation? How do you relieve stress?

The Critic...

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

-Theodore Roosevelt

But, Mr. Roosevelt, what would you say if the critic and the man in the arena were one and the same?

Hi, my name is Stacey, and I am my own worst critic. I beat myself up and belittle myself. I compare myself to others, even though they probably don’t even notice. I project my own insecurities, and cast a shadow of doubt on myself.

Last week, I realized just how bad things have become when I missed my morning workout. Rather than thinking, “OK, I woke up with stomach cramps and could not physically have run. I will try again later.” I thought, “What a failure. You were supposed to run 5 miles. Stop making excuses.” It ate at me all day. That day, it all ended fine because I did make it out, and had a great run. But the whole story repeats itself over and over. I still look at my weekend run as a failure, even though I got my miles in, because I couldn’t get it all Saturday, and then couldn’t get the full 12 Sunday. I slept this morning instead of strength training, and even though I can do it tonight, I’m sitting at work berating myself for not just getting up and getting it done.

I attack myself when runs are hard, blame myself when I haven’t gotten enough sleep, give in when I can’t move a weight I wanted. I see Tweeters complain about how a slow run for them was an 8 minute pace and mentally respond with disgust and disbelief because my averages are in the 10-11 minute range depending on distance. My stepsister decided to start running after I did, and I agonize over every result, wondering why she’s faster, why she’s better.

I’m sure most of us have seen The Oatmeal’s fantastic “Blerch” comic. I’m pretty sure I have the Blerch and the Jerk following me. One tells me to give in, to be lazy, to eat that cheat food, and the other one berates me endlessly after I listen to the first.

The Jerk isn’t always a bad thing, but it IS a bad thing when he gets out of control. The Jerk can come in handy sometimes… a mean little Critic following me around, punching the Blerch in the face is a good thing.

But the Critic, the Jerk, has become too strong recently. No one else is comparing my results. In fact, most people are super supportive, even when results aren’t that impressive. Only I use that comparison to beat myself up. My competition should only be against myself. And, truly, failures walk hand-in-hand with triumph. If I have never failed, how could I feel as great of joy when I succeed? “who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming…”

It is hard to accept, hard to learn, that coming up short, whether it’s an aborted long run, a run that wasn’t as fast as you hoped, a weight that simply won’t move, coming up short is part of the battle. It is what makes the eventual victory so sweet. The failures and struggles give power to the victory, to the success, to the PR. 

Maybe this is the mantra, the way to silence the Critic, the Jerk, to remind him over and over that there is no effort without error and shortcoming. If it were all easy, if there weren’t delays and failures, errors and shortcomings, there would be no victory, and no reason to keep going.

“who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Dare. Dare greatly. Take on those challenges. Silence the Critic by setting goals for yourself, not for others. If I compare myself to others and then decide it isn’t worth it because I feel I’ll come up short, if I take one perceived failure and decide it’s not worth fighting for success, if I refuse to dare - then I belong with those cold and timid souls. If I do not dare, I do not deserve victory, and I do not deserve to call it defeat. When that voice, that Jerk, that Critic, pops up in your head, remind him that you are daring. That you may have failed today, yesterday, and the day before, but you are striving, you are daring greatly, and you’d rather have the face marred by dust and sweat and blood than sit aside and believe in critics.

Workout of the Day: will be 4 rounds: 20 kettlebell swings (35lbs), 10 shoulder presses - each arm (20 lbs), 10 lunges (40 lbs)

Song of the Day: "Pompeii" - Bastille

Running in the CamelBak Marathoner Vest

Let's stick to a theme here... when I review stuff, I've run in it. Not just shoes. So "Running in" means it's a review..

I hate, hate, hate carrying stuff while running, and I hate the very idea of water/fuel belts. I've previously run with a handheld bottle. I actually threw it away in the middle of one Half Marathon, and ended up replacing it because it was only $10. But, with some very long runs in my future, I needed a means of carrying fuel and hydration. Very shortly into my search, the CamelBak Marathoner Vest caught my eye...  along came Christmas money, and I ordered it!

I received the vest during a bit of taper week, so it took a while before I finally got to try it. Here, I tried it on the night I got it...

Front View

Side View (almost flattering, isn't it?)

My immediate impression was that the vest was comfortable. I was very impressed by the number of adjustment points. There are two adjustable buckles across the chest, the top is fabric, the bottom is elastic. There are adjustable buckles at the sides, which zig-zag between 3 points of contact. The straps are actually attached by velcro, so you can elongate or shorten at the shoulder. 

The vest has several reflective strips, which is wonderful (visibility is SO important). There are two large pouches on the front, one on each side. These could easily hold fuel, an extra water bottle, gloves, a neck gaiter, etc. Above these are mesh storage, covered by a small overlap, which is great for something like your keys or cell phone. The tube comes over your shoulder, under two straps, and then has two available clips. The front also features and integrated safety whistle. 

On the back, you have some additional reflectivity, a zippered flap that allows access to the reservoir, and a mesh and elastic pouch that is perfect for storing an extra layer. 

Just messing with it that night, I was very impressed by how easy it is to adjust each strap. Even with gloves on, it is easy to either grab the extra strap and pull, or lift up on the buckle to let a little out. I was, and remain, confused by the whistle. It doesn't seem to come off, despite having an elastic strap. But if it remains where it's attached, I physically can't bend my head down to use it if needed. Maybe I'm missing something, but I probably will go ahead and snap the plastic soon, just so I can use the whistle if I ever need... hopefully I never do need it, but I'm glad it's there!

Front View

Back View

I can't figure out this whistle...

Ok, so, finally it was time to USE the vest! I had a 12 miler on my schedule and I was ready to go. I purchased the CamelBak Elixer in Berry, and premixed it in a different container, then poured the mix, plus additional water until the reservoir was full. When I first lifted the full vest, I was a bit concerned about the weight, but the wide shoulder straps do a great job distributing the weight. Even with a full vest, three Island Boost packets, and my phone, the vest felt pleasantly light. 

Take the time to mess with the straps. One thing I learned very quickly.. leave everything just a bit looser than you think you'll want. I started out with everything pulled snug, and quickly realized it was too restrictive to breathe properly. I loosened everything just a touch and it was perfect. Unfortunately, my first outing with the Marathoner Vest was short-lived. I only got about 3.65 miles in. Why?  Well... at mile 1.5, I realized my tube was frozen. At mile 2.5, I was thirsty, so actually stopped, removed the vest, and tried to tuck the tube inside so my body heat would thaw it. At mile 3.65, I gave up and called the husband to pick me up. Then I called REI in the hopes they would have the insulated tube.  (They did.)

In the picture above, you can actually see the insulated tube is attached. I went back out today, and the insulated tube worked well... no more freezing. I am both annoyed and OK with this. I understand the extra cost involved if CamelBak just gave the insulated tube with the Vest, but it is frustrating to buy a $100 hydration pack, and then need to spend another $20 for a new tube. Not to mention, I have no idea what I'm going to do with the old tube. Store it in case the insulated one breaks? Except, if the insulated one breaks during Michigan winter, the old one would do me no good.

Frustration aside, I was very pleased with the vest. I found it easiest to leave the tube outside of the upper clip, and just use the lower clip, but I had no problems clipping it in or out... all very easy to do while running. Again, it is very easy to adjust the straps while running, so don't ignore them; play with them and get things set right. I love the side straps, which allow for a personal, snug fit.  It is weird initially to hear the water sloshing around behind you, but I surprisingly didn't feel it. In fact, after a while, I barely felt the vest, which is great.

My biggest frustration with the vest is that everything seemed, well, long.  I am about 5'6", 140 lbs. and everything was long. The straps were long enough that I occasionally hit them on the arm swing, the hose was a bit long, so I had to sort of curl it toward me.  The length of the actual vest was fine though, so I guess I can't really complain.   You do feel a bit warm on the back, but this time of year, I'm not complaining!

Overall, I do recommend the Marathoner Vest. I wish it was a bit more affordable. Maybe $100 including the insulated tube.  If you're running anywhere it's regularly below freezing, just bite the bullet and buy the insulate tube. Don't worry that the package says it will keep your drink cold, it will work to prevent freezing. Save yourself the frustration, and get it all at once. Ultimately, if you're going for long runs or hikes, want hands-free hydration and plenty of storage, it is a good investment.

Highs and Lows...

Highs and lows. Ups and downs. All in one week. Maybe that's the story of marathon training?

Monday, I had a decent morning workout, but Tuesday was miserable. I went to bed Monday night and woke up Tuesday morning with what seemed to be mild food poisoning.  Stomach cramps, dizziness, the works. I dragged myself to work, focused on drinking a ton of water, and mentally beat myself up for having not run in the morning. (I am 100% my own worst critic, and extremely hard on myself).  But! When I came home, I felt decent enough to try for the plan-mandated 5 miler. And rocked it!  Felt good, went fast.

Wednesday morning was another good crosstraining day.  My workouts were...  Monday - 3 rounds of: 10 front squats at 40lbs, 5 (each leg) lunges at 40lbs, 10 wipers, 30 seconds (each side) side planks. Wednesday - 4 rounds of: 10 (each leg) single-leg deadlifts at 40 lbs., 10 tricep dips, 5 (each leg) modified bridge (one leg propped up, one held perpendicular to body), 5 regular bridges.

Thursday it was HARD to wake up. I've been trying to get up at 5 am every day so I have time to eat/coffee/restroom, run, and take care of things around the house. I was exhausted. Exhausted. But I got my run in, and somehow stayed awake for work.

Friday, I slept in. Woot.  And then the trouble started...

Saturday, I was geared up and ready for my 12 mile run. I was perhaps a touch overdressed, but you can unzip. I probably should've done my TrailRocs instead of my RoadX-Tremes, but again, even that could be overcome. The problem? I'm a salty sweater, the effort of running in the snow + being overdressed had me sweating away...  and my brand-new CameBak vest? (review coming later today)  Well, the tube froze. Froze solid. Two miles into the run. No hope of getting anything to drink. At this point, I'd done 3.6 miles, about 1 mile into the wind, and mentally, I just lost. I called the husband to pick me up and vowed pick up the insulated CamelBak tube and to try again Sunday.

Sunday... Sunday was windy. 18mph sustained with 30 mph wind gusts. Ugh! Additionally, people in Michigan seem to think that they have no responsibility to shovel their sidewalks. Not terrible when it's first snowing, awful after it's been stomped down and then frozen into little, wild ridges.  Shovel your sidewalks people!!! And if you live on a corner, sorry, you get to shovel both sidewalks. Ugh.

So I started strong, didn't even mind the first mile into the wind. I made it through several windblown, snowy sections of sidewalk (might as well be running in sand), and then at about 4.15 miles in, I turned into the wind. The crazy, gusty wind. Wind that leaves you making a running motion, but standing still. I started walking 1 minute for every 15 I ran, but there was just no way to properly recoup the effort of running into 30mph winds through windblown snowdrifts.  I made it 9 miles, but at that point, my toes were VERY painfully losing feeling. Not sure if they were numb, or smushed by the fact that I had on light cushion socks instead of ultrathin, but I may as well have had little blocks of fire attached to my feet. I was close to home and I gave in.

While I'm discouraged that I didn't get an actual 12 miler in, I'm refusing to look at it as a failure. My weekend total was 12.65. I ran a 5k and then got in 9 miles the next day! I woke up with a migraine today, but still managed to recover and run 9 miles. Oh yeah, and the weather conditions were rotten, energy-sucking ickiness. Besides, I am training for a marathon, not a sprint. Not every day, weekend, or week will be perfect. Not every run will go well, and sometimes there is a string of ick. It's a big race, and I need to look at the big picture. Overall, I got my miles. In challenging conditions. Take this one as a draw, a tie, and move forward.

Workout of the Day: 9 mile run

Song of the Day: "The Man" - Aloe Blacc   "Somewhere I heard that life is a test; I been through the worst but still I give my best".