Getting to the 2014 Portland Marathon Starting Line, Taper Tantrums and All

Last year I ran the Portland Marathon for the first time.  It was a BIG DEAL, and both Erika and Ann Marie ran it with me.

It was a perfect first marathon.

This year, I decided to sign up again, to see if I could run the race on my own.  I do the majority of my training runs solo anyway, other than some long runs. This meant that I had to change my focus.

The question for last year's race was:

The question for this year's race was: 

Heavy stuff.

My training was far from perfect, but I managed to get in 60 out of 71 scheduled runs.  Last year I did 66 of them. My pace was up to 1 minute per mile slower than last year on about half the runs.

I would like to, but it's probably not the reason.

My longest training run this year was a 22 miler, which I did on my own, on the only day I forgot my earbuds.  After that run, I felt like I could likely handle the race...more or less...hopefully.

My taper was 2 weeks long this year, as opposed to 3 weeks last year, so my taper tantrums were limited to general agitation and one big freakout.

FREAKOUT REENACTMENT:

The week before the marathon Christy asked me what my bib number was.  When I looked it up I got a very disturbing message:

So I did what any sane person would do, and I tried again.  Over and over.

I decided to email the race coordinator to make sure that I was, indeed, registered.

 

That really was not comforting.

I posted my query to their facebook page and spent the next 4 hours compulsively searching the website again, and combing through my Active.com profile (since I registered through them).   Right as I was going to bed I got a message from their page letting me know that I had clicked a button that made me not searchable by name when I registered.

However, I was indeed registered.  I sent them a heartfelt thank you.

And scene.

Fast forward to race weekend, and TriGuy and I drove down to Portland.  Everything went pretty smoothly.  After an early dinner we went straight to bed.

Unfortunately, I kept dreaming that I couldn't get to the starting line on time.

I was very relieved to wake up.

I got up and started preparing my breakfast.  That was a breeze because after last year's panic over a lack of hot water,  TriGuy had bought me the perfect gift.

Guaranteed to make your race morning prep 80% less stressful!

As I was prepping, I was already getting texts from Christy and her friends that they were making their way to the start.

I grabbed TriGuy and hurried my way down to the street.  Luckily Christy and I were in the same corral and got to start together.  There were corrals A through H.  We were in G.

It's the little things.

Christy and I chatted with a couple of ladies right behind us.  One of them told us she kept toilet paper in her bra.  I suddenly realized that I had forgotten my emergency toilet paper that I always put in my shorts pocket.  The lady graciously offered to "spare a square" for Christy and I.

We graciously declined.

And then, a mere 16 minutes after the first corral started the race, we were off!

Stay tuned!! The rest of the race review is in the works!

UPCOMING POSTS: PORTLAND MARATHON PART 2, MARATHON AFTERMATH, VOLUNTEERING AT BEAT THE BLERCH, DEVICE REVIEW

OOFOS OOAHHS

Disclosure:  I was provided a pair of Oofos Recovery Shoes courtesy of True North Productions, in exchange for a blog post.  I was not provided any additional compensation and all opinions are my own.

No, I have not suddenly been possessed.

I got an email from Emily, asking me if I wanted to try a Unique Runner Recovery Shoe, by a company called OOFOS.

I was pretty excited because I have actually heard of these shoes and runners seem to love them.  Here is how they are described on their website, oofos.com :

Designed to jumpstart the recovery process, our incredible footwear offers unparalleled impact absorption and arch support. Whether you've just finished running, playing, lifting, or just a long day, keep in mind that the last step is the most important. Take yours into a pair of OOFOS. When your feet feel like they're smiling, that's the OO.

• Unparalleled impact absorption

• Superior arch support.

• Insane comfort

So I did some virtual shopping and landed on the OOFOS OOAHH Slides page, with the following blurb:

Feeling down, like your sole's got the best of you? Sulk no longer, the slip on feel of OOFOS is just what the doctor ordered. The remedy calls for an equal dose of vibrancy and sole support. Some would even say it's the missing link to the total you, the person you have been missing out on. Keep the medicine away-I'll take an OOFOS a day. Let us help you rejOOv with OOFOS.

With a description like that, of course I said yes!  After a few days, my shoes arrived in the mail.

Here's how the shoe looks from the side and from the top.

I was so excited to put them on. I imagined it would feel like stepping onto a cloud.

I immediately slipped them onto my feet.

They felt...ok.

Not amazing, and actually also a little hot.

But, I wore them at home over the next week and each day they felt a little better: softer, squishier, comfier.  It turns out that I just had to break them in.

Oh, and I also discovered a way to decrease most of the sweat factor.

'Cause I'm classy like that.

Now, My OOFOS OOAHH Slides make me feel like I'm walking on firm, wet sand at the beach. And my feet are oh so happy.

See what I did there?

Despite the heat issue, I really like the comfort of these shoes and they help make my feet and legs feel less tired.  Therefore, I am giving them my stamp of approval.

OOFOS Recovery Shoes come in 3 styles for both men and women and can be found on oofos.com, amazon.com, and in specialty running stores.  They retail for between $39.99 and $49.99 on their website.  You can follow them on facebook and Twitter. Let them know I sent ya!

How about you?  Have you ever tried OOFOS?  Do you have an article of clothing that just makes your body say "ooh ahh"?

UPCOMING POSTS: PORTLAND MARATHON RECAP, MARATHON AFTERMATH, NUMETREX REVIEW, VOLUNTEERING AT BEAT THE BLERCH