the 619 runner

After long runs and leg works my calves tends to get sore, which is usually the case since the calf muscle is an essential part of running. With the increase mileage I've been adding to my runs might have caused some strain. Resting helps but it takes time to get it back to 100%... If there were only a way to recover faster.

Introducing the Zensah Compression Calf Sleeve.

I've done searching on how to recover faster from runs and a compression sleeve is the solution. Although they might look cool it serves a purpose. According to the Zensah Website

Zensah has developed recovery leg sleeves using a special knitting process and fabric.

The Calf/Shin Recovery Sleeves are made with gradient compression which provides wide ribbing in the front for shin support and tight ribbing in the back for calf support.

The sleeves are made with Zensah Fabric which has silver helping to regulate skin temperature and fight bacteria. The sleeves can be worn during training or for recovery to increase oxygen blood flow to the muscles of the lower leg. The more oxygen the muscles receive the faster they recover, allowing athletes to push the envelope in their training. The Zensah Calf/Shin sleeve is ideal for runners, cyclists and triathletes and anyone else who is on their feet. It can be worn during training, recovery or for traveling.

The Zensah Calf/Shin sleeves are unique in that they provide Pin-Point Compression to the front and back of the leg. The dual action support was developed by a professional athletic trainer.

I've used this for the past few days and I must say they work like a charm. I totally notice the difference after wearing them. My legs calves don't feel as strained. I've read reviews about people using them while training but I've yet to do that. Although the price might scare a few people away, it's worth every cent.

Everyones weight seems to fluctuate from time to time... If you don't work out for a while and not monitor your diet your weight goes up. This trend is usually what happens to a lot of people. Last year when I started running program I was around 163 lbs before I started... A few months of dedicated running and training I was able to drop down to 155... Which is amazing. I slacked off during the winter and spring and gained back the weight... I was really disappointed and wanted to do something about it again. So I committed myself to running more often.

I think with the temperature change and time change affected my running schedule. Hopefully, this year I will continue my training. I have several goals to accomplish, one of them being running a 1/2 marathon and maybe a marathon? A cool thing about running these marathon is that you get a really cool medal... I think having these goals will help me maintain my weight and increase my motivation to run.

Over the weekend I picked a Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS from Craigslist for a sweet price. After being disappointed by the incorrect data from the Nike+ I decided it was time for something new and accurate. Although this is a older model it still gets the job done.

It has a lot of cool features that I'm still learning at the moment. I had the opportunity to test it out against my Nike+ to see find out how "off" the Nike+ was. I set up the quick 3 mile workout on the Garmin and went for it. The Garmin clocked my run at 29:54... And the Nike+ said I ran 2.3 miles. The Nike+ was way off. I like the web interface of the Nike+ though but in terms of usability the Garmin wins.

I will continue to use the Nike+ to increase my stats on Nike+ but for my serious training the Garmin is where it's at.

I've noticed my Nike + has been providing me some incorrect results as of late. I've been running at Lake Miramar several times, which is approximately 4.9 miles around the lake. So I ran it several times and the Nike + kept on giving me 3.5 miles... At first I thought it would've been the calibration. I re-calibrated the sensor on a treadmill and ran the course again. And it still it provided me with the incorrect number.

I think I might actually invest in a GPS unit and compare the numbers. I assume that the GPS unit will be more accurate than the Nike +... We will see.

I had the opportunity to talk to one of Halo Headband reps at the 2009 America's Finest City expo. They carry several different products that prevent sweat from going into your eyes. This is a problem for me especially at the gym. They have hats, headbands, visors, skull caps. The secret is a yellow strip that is used to redirect the sweat to another area. I was a bit skeptical at first. I wondered how can a simple yellow strip on your forehead redirect the sweat. I decided to pass on making a purchase...

After the AFC 5k run I noticed that my friend purchased one of your hats. He told me that it worked really well.... After hearing that I had to try it out myself... I went on your website and located the nearest retailers in my area. I was lucky and found out that Black Mountain Bicycles in Mira Mesa carried your product. I purchased a head band and tried it out at the gym.

At the gym I took my very first spin class. As you know spin classes are notorious for high intensity workouts and sweat! I was surprised that all the sweat was redirected to the side of my face and not into my eyes.

I would definitely recommend this product to anybody!

It's been a while since I updated this running blog of mine. The first of the year started a bit shaky. After the Silver Strand 5k run in November I was pretty much hibernation mode. I wasn't really prepared for the entire weather change and felt lazy... Not a good thing. So I slacked off on my training and gained a few pounds.

I also laid off back in January. So I was bummed and didn't do too much for the first couple months. I was busy looking for another job and collecting unemployment. I also went to Seattle and Florida for vacation. Now fast forward to the present... I've been committed to getting back into gear. I've been training for the past two months and ran the America's Finest City 5k run.

It feels really good to get back into it again. Although it took me about a month and half for muscles to get used to the distance but its worth it. I need to keep the intensity up and not be lazy.

I'm looking forward to signing up to more events very soon to keep my motivation level high.